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Pasta with Chicken & …

Pasta with Chicken & …

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Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Broccoli & Cream Sauce

Yield: 4 Servings

Scott Nowell

Circa 1994: Another church potluck meal. It makes a nice, simple family meal. Either the broccoli or the sun-dried tomato can be eliminated or increased as desired. (hint: double the tomatoes)

Use your imagination on the type of pasta and protein, shrimp, pork, beef. Just about anything will work.

Chicken:

  • 1TBS oil
  • 1lb boneless chicken breasts
  • salt & pepper
  • 1tsp Italian seasoning

Pasta:

  • 8oz Rotini, Penne, etc.

Vegetables:

  • 8oz broccoli, small florets
  • ½cup sun-dried tomatoes oil reserved, sliced
  • 2TBS oil from sun-dried tomatoes
  • 2TBS pine nuts, toasted (Optional)

Cream sauce:

  • 1cup heavy cream
  • 1tsp dried basil
  • salt & pepper

For serving:

  • ¼cup Parmesan cheese shredded
  • ½oz Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped fine

Broccoli and pasta:

Bring one gallon of water to boil in a large pot. Add 1 TBS salt and broccoli. Cook for until starting to soften (about 2 minutes), remove to a bowl of ice water with a spider.

Return water to a boil and add pasta. Cook until just al dente, a minute or two less than manufacturer’s directions. Reserve a cup of the starchy water, then drain and set pasta aside.

Chicken breasts:

While the pasta is cooking, season chicken with salt and pepper and a good sprinkle of Italian seasoning.

Heat oil until hot in large sauté pan. Add chicken breasts and brown on both sides for 2-3 minutes until nicely browned. Remove chicken from pan and set aside. Wipe out and set pan aside, it will be used later. Slice each chicken breast on an angle in 3 – 6 slices. Chicken will finish cooking later.

Assembly:

Return pasta pot to heat, add cream, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 2 to 3 minutes until reduced and thickened slightly.

Add tomatoes and basil, stir. Return sliced chicken breasts to pan and simmer until cooked through 2 to 3 minutes.

Return pasta to pot. Add toasted pine nuts, is using. Mix. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer to a serving dish and top with Parmesan cheese and parsley.

Pasta with Sausage, Broccoli and Sun Dried Tomato

Pasta with Sausage, Broccoli and Sun Dried Tomato

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Yield: 4 Servings
Scott Nowell

Circa 1994: I think I first made this for a church potluck. It makes a nice, fairly simple family meal. Either the broccoli or the sun dried tomato can be eliminated or increased as desired. (hint: double the tomatoes)

  • 1TBS olive oil
  • 1lb uncooked sweet or mild Italian bulk sausage or links with casings removed
  • 1medium yellow onion, medium dice
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1lb broccoli, stemmed and cut into 1-inch florets
  • ½cup julienne sun dried tomatoes
  • 8oz fusilli, penne or other short pasta
  • ¾cup heavy cream
  • ½cup tightly packed, finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 ½ oz), plus more for serving

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up the meat into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon, until it’s no longer pink and is starting to brown, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a large bowl and set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium, add the onions, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions have softened and are just starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the sun dried tomatoes and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove the ovens and tomatoes to the bowl with the sausage.

When the water is boiling, salt the water and add the broccoli. Cook until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or spider, transfer the broccoli to the bowl with the sausage.

Return the water to a boil, add the pasta. Cook according to the package directions until just al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water, drain, and return the pasta to the pot; set aside.

Add all the ingredients from the bowl to the pasta, add the cream, and stir, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the measured Parmesan and stir. Add reserved pasta water as needed, and stir to combine.

Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.

Serve immediately, passing more Parmesan on the side.