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Tuscan Chicken Pasta

3/9/2023

3 Comments

 
I struggled with what to title this one because I'm fairly certain this dish isn't a tried and true Tuscan pasta dish - but based off my experiences growing up in America, "Tuscan Chicken Pasta" is a very popular dish seen on menus at restaurants - at least in the Midwest. The components of this pasta dish are herb grilled chicken breast, parmesan cream sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach and mushrooms. I love the flavors and would always order it as a child!! I don't make it all the time but every once in a while it hits the spot - it's a very nostalgic dish for me!  
Picture

What you need:
  • 2 thin chicken breasts
  • Salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, oregano and parsley for seasoning the chicken
  • 1/2 lb farfalle pasta
  • 1/2 white onion, diced
  • 4-6 garlic cloves (depends how big they are!)
  • 1/4 cup white wine or chicken broth
  • 2 tbsp salted butter
  • 1/2 ish cup of sun-dried tomatoes
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 5 oz spinach (2-3 big handfuls)
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
What to do:
  1. ​Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, oregano and parsley. Cook in EVOO on medium-high heat until cooked through and the edges are nice and golden brown. Set aside.
  2. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to it's packaging instructions.
  3. Cook the onions and garlic in the same pan as the chicken and evoo, until they're translucent and fragrant. 
  4. Deglaze the pan with the white wine or chicken broth and melt some butter into it as you stir.
  5. Next, add the sun dried tomatoes and heavy whipping cream. Bring to a boil and then let simmer until the sauce thickens up.
  6. Once the pasta is done, add the spinach straight to the sauce, and then the piping hot strained pasta right on top of it. Add in a splash of reserved pasta water, a handful of parmesan cheese and season with black pepper.
  7. Add the chicken back into the pasta and serve hot!
3 Comments

Pesto Chicken Pasta

3/6/2023

1 Comment

 
For the sake of SEO, we're calling this one 'pesto chicken pasta' but it's more of a version, and definitely not classic Italian pesto (due to my pine nut allergy.) I also added in a ton of spinach to give it a little more of a higher nutritional value!! 
Picture
What you need:
For the nut-free, spinach pesto
  • 8 oz fresh spinach
  • 2 oz fresh basil leaves (I always start with a handful, you can taste test and add more if you need!)
  • 6-10 garlic cloves depending on your garlic tolerance
  • 1/4 cup EVOO
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese
  • A pinch of salt and pepper (1/4 tsp each)
  • Optional: a squeeze of fresh lemon juice (1 tsp)
For the entree
  • 1/2 lb pasta (I love penne with this recipe!)
  • 1/2 cup pesto
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1/4 cup reserved pasta water
  • 2 cooked chicken breasts, diced
  • *if you don't properly salt your pasta water the completed dish may need to be seasoned with salt
  • Black pepper, parmesan and optional red pepper flakes for topping
What to do:
  1. If you are going to make the chicken for this recipe, go ahead and do that first. I seasoned with salt and pepper and then grilled it until it was cooked through. Dice it up once it's finished cooking and set aside.
  2. Blend the pesto ingredients in a food processor. *The pesto recipe makes about 2 cups, so you'll want to save half of it in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze it for another time! The leftovers are great to use for so many other dishes!!
  3. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the packaging instructions. You'll want the pasta to be a little more on the al dente side because it will continue to cook a tiny bit in the sauce.
  4. Add the cooked pasta, pesto, heavy cream and chicken to a skillet or pot and turn the heat to medium. The cream will blend into the pesto and create the sauce. Stir everything for a minute or two over heat until the sauce thickens up and is hot.
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