Chicken Alfredo Pasta
1.Ingredients
• 200 g / 7oz chicken breast, cut in half horizontally
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 250 g / 8 oz fettuccine
• 2 cups milk, any fat %
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock / broth
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 cup thickened / heavy cream (Note 1)
• 3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan (Note 2)
• Parsley, for garnish
2.Directions
1. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper.
2. Use a skillet large enough to fit the pasta.
3. Heat oil over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook for 2 minutes on each side until golden and cooked through. Remove onto plate and rest for 5 minutes, then slice while pasta is cooking.
4. Reduce heat to medium high. Add milk, chicken broth and garlic. Bring to simmer then add pasta.
5. Move pasta around every 30 seconds or so until it is softened (around 3 minutes) so it doesn’t stick. Once pasta is softened, reduce heat to medium and stir every couple of minutes.
6. At about 9 – 10 minutes, the pasta should be almost cooked but there should still be liquid covering the base of the skillet. Add cream and parmesan and mix.
7. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for ~2 minutes, until sauce is thickened and pasta is cooked. If you cook it too long and the sauce goes gluggy, add a splash of hot tap water – will go back to silky with a few tosses.
8. Adjust salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately, garnished with freshly grated parmesan and parsley!
Creamy Vegan Pasta
1.Ingredients
7 ounces firm tofu
1 cup raw cashews
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed (or fresh spinach tastes really nice and keeps more nutrients!)
2 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (500 g) package egg-free pasta (I usually use bow tie, but it would be great with penne also)
1⁄2 cup water
3⁄4 cup water
1⁄3 cup water
2 teaspoons vegetarian poultry seasoning (I use McKays Vegan Chicken Seasoning)
1 1⁄2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
3 tablespoons pesto sauce, liquid (can add more to taste)
1 medium head of broccoli, cooked
2.Directions
- In a blender or food processor, blend cashews and 1/2 cup water until smooth. Then add the tofu, 1 tablespoons olive oil (reserve 1 Tbsp), 3/4 cup water, vegetarian chicken seasoning, 1 1/2 Tbsp nutritional yeast, and salt, and blend until smooth and creamy. You may want to add a tad more water if it’s too thick. Set aside.
- Boil pasta noodles and drain.
- In a large saucepan, saute the onion and garlic in the remaining 1 tablespoons olive oil until onions are clear. Add 1/3 cup water and the vegan chicken seasoning. If you are using fresh spinach, cook it with the onion, if using frozen spinach add it to the saucepan after the onion is clear.
- Once the onion, garlic, and spinach is cooked and the water has been evaporated, add the blended mixture (cashews, tofu, etc), cooked broccoli, and pesto sauce to the sauce pan. Cook together on low for 5 minutes.
- Serve mixed sauce on top of cooked pasta and enjoy!
French Onion Pasta
1.Ingredients
• 3 cups dry penne pasta
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3 medium sweet onions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can beef broth
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry or Marsala wine
• 1 packet dry onion soup mix
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 1/2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken, optional
• 1/2 cup shredded swiss cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2. Directions
1.Cook pasta to al dente according to package directions.
2.Heat olive oil and butter over medium-low heat in a large pan. Add onions and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with salt and sugar and cook another 15 minutes.
3.Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
4.Sprinkle flour over onions and stir to mix in. Turn heat up to medium. Cook 30 seconds and then gradually whisk in beef broth.
5.Add sherry, onion soup mix, half-and-half, and thyme and simmer until thickened.
6.Stir in chicken and cooked pasta.
7.Transfer to a lightly greased casserole dish. (If your pan is oven-proof, there’s no need to transfer. Just sprinkle the cheese on top.) Sprinkle both cheeses on top.
8.Place casserole dish (or pan) in oven and broil until the cheese is melted and golden brown in spots.