If you've been reading my blog for a while (or even if you've just looked through some of my previous Tasty Tuesday posts), you probably know that pasta is one of my favorite things to make and eat. Add a creamy sauce and it's pretty much guaranteed that it will be one of my absolute favorite meals.
When I came up with this recipe, I was craving pasta with a rich garlic cream sauce. And, while a simple garlic cream sauce is delicious, I really wanted to make something a little different. I've been on a feta kick lately, so we happened to have some in our fridge. We also always keep some white wine for cooking on hand, so, in an effort to use items we already had in our kitchen (well, mostly ... I had to buy a lemon), this recipe was born.
This is the kind of decadent pasta dish that I can't allow myself to make all the time. (Not if I would like to avoid gaining 50+ pounds!) But I think it's important to splurge sometimes, and this is the kind of dinner I want when I'm going to splurge.
One thing to note before I share the recipe: the recipe as written makes a lot. I usually make extra when I cook because I rely on leftovers for dinner on our busiest nights. I will say, though, that this meal wasn't quite as good heated up. It wasn't bad or anything, but it definitely tastes best on the day it's made.
Ingredient List:
When I came up with this recipe, I was craving pasta with a rich garlic cream sauce. And, while a simple garlic cream sauce is delicious, I really wanted to make something a little different. I've been on a feta kick lately, so we happened to have some in our fridge. We also always keep some white wine for cooking on hand, so, in an effort to use items we already had in our kitchen (well, mostly ... I had to buy a lemon), this recipe was born.
This is the kind of decadent pasta dish that I can't allow myself to make all the time. (Not if I would like to avoid gaining 50+ pounds!) But I think it's important to splurge sometimes, and this is the kind of dinner I want when I'm going to splurge.
One thing to note before I share the recipe: the recipe as written makes a lot. I usually make extra when I cook because I rely on leftovers for dinner on our busiest nights. I will say, though, that this meal wasn't quite as good heated up. It wasn't bad or anything, but it definitely tastes best on the day it's made.
Chicken and Pasta in a Lemony White Wine Feta Garlic Cream Sauce
A Divulge and Indulge original recipe.Ingredient List:
- 2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I used 3 fairly large breasts.)
- 1 box short pasta (I used Garofalo organic gemelli from Costco.)
- 3 tbsp butter, divided (I used unsalted butter.)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp flour
- 3 cloves garlic (or, if you're lazy like me, the equivalent of jarred, pre-minced garlic)
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 lemon
- 1/2 tsp Mrs. Dash Italian Medley
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions, drain, and set aside.
2. Melt 2 tbsp butter over medium heat in a large skillet.
3. Combine the Mrs. Dash Italian Medley, sea salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Rub the spice mixture over the chicken breasts.
4. Once the butter has melted, add the chicken to the skillet, cooking until lightly browned on all sides and no pink remains. After the chicken is fully cooked, remove it to a plate and cut it into smaller chunks or strips if desired. (As you can see from the picture, I cut mine into chunks. I like cutting my meat into smaller pieces in meals like this because I like to have both chicken and pasta in almost every bite.)
5. Melt the remaining 1 tbsp butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
6. Add the olive oil and garlic to the melted butter, cooking until the garlic is fragrant (about 30 seconds to 1 minute).
7. Whisk in the flour to create a roux. You'll want to whisk the mixture constantly for about 1 1/2 minutes to avoid lumps.
8. Gradually whisk in the heavy cream until no lumps remain.
9. Reduce the heat to medium low. Whisk in the white wine and juice from the lemon, and continue whisking the sauce until it thickens and bubbles. (This should take about 5-8 minutes.)
10. Remove the sauce from the heat. Stir in the crumbled feta cheese until it has mostly melted. Add additional seasoning to taste if desired. (I just added a little black pepper.)
11. Add the chicken back into the large skillet, then add the drained pasta. Pour the sauce over the pasta and meat, then toss several times to coat evenly.
I loved that I could taste each of the main flavors in the sauce. Sometimes I'll make something and it will mostly taste of one or two of the main ingredients, but this sauce definitely allowed all of the flavors to come through. And if you're not a fan of feta or white wine or lemon, you can easily switch up the ingredients to make it your own.
2. Melt 2 tbsp butter over medium heat in a large skillet.
3. Combine the Mrs. Dash Italian Medley, sea salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Rub the spice mixture over the chicken breasts.
4. Once the butter has melted, add the chicken to the skillet, cooking until lightly browned on all sides and no pink remains. After the chicken is fully cooked, remove it to a plate and cut it into smaller chunks or strips if desired. (As you can see from the picture, I cut mine into chunks. I like cutting my meat into smaller pieces in meals like this because I like to have both chicken and pasta in almost every bite.)
5. Melt the remaining 1 tbsp butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
6. Add the olive oil and garlic to the melted butter, cooking until the garlic is fragrant (about 30 seconds to 1 minute).
7. Whisk in the flour to create a roux. You'll want to whisk the mixture constantly for about 1 1/2 minutes to avoid lumps.
8. Gradually whisk in the heavy cream until no lumps remain.
9. Reduce the heat to medium low. Whisk in the white wine and juice from the lemon, and continue whisking the sauce until it thickens and bubbles. (This should take about 5-8 minutes.)
10. Remove the sauce from the heat. Stir in the crumbled feta cheese until it has mostly melted. Add additional seasoning to taste if desired. (I just added a little black pepper.)
11. Add the chicken back into the large skillet, then add the drained pasta. Pour the sauce over the pasta and meat, then toss several times to coat evenly.
I loved that I could taste each of the main flavors in the sauce. Sometimes I'll make something and it will mostly taste of one or two of the main ingredients, but this sauce definitely allowed all of the flavors to come through. And if you're not a fan of feta or white wine or lemon, you can easily switch up the ingredients to make it your own.
No comments:
Post a Comment