Chicken breast, cut into smaller pieces so it will cook quicker (see photo above). Coat in flour, salt, pepper, and dried thyme. Brown in butter and olive oil (medium - medium high heat) and cook almost through (lower the heat).
Toss some broccoli florets, and garlic on top before chicken is cooked through, add some water (1/3 - 1/2 cup or so, to keep things from scorching and to create steam), and a few squeezes of lemon juice (a teaspoon, if using bottled). Cover and steam until the broccoli is just about cooked the way you like it and the chicken registers 165 degrees or just under. Add cherry tomatoes, and let them heat for a couple of minutes, not to bursting, but warming them enough to turn their insides to liquid. Yum!
Once broccoli is steamed (this takes only minutes) drain excess water from pan, if there is any, add a container of whatever fresh Alfredo sauce you like - mine came from Whole Foods, so good - plus fresh cream, some glugs of white wine (1/4 - 1/2 cup), and season to taste. (I added some of my own dried thyme from the garden. Also, the wine is optional.) Heat through, simmering not boiling, so as not to break the cream. As soon as you have your sauce stirred in the pan with the chicken, cream, and wine, while it is simmering, drop your fresh pasta in the boiling water. This way everything will be heated and ready at the same time as fresh pasta takes but a few minutes to cook. (If you use dry pasta, begin the pasta sooner as it takes longer to cook.)
Plate the drained pasta, pile the chicken and sauce atop, garnish with whatever fresh herb you want (I had some fresh basil on hand.) Grated hard white cheese can be served on the side or grated on top before serving, or omitted altogether.
Enjoy this quick, impressive, one-dish meal full of protein, vegetables, dairy, herbs, and delicious pasta!
(After snapping this photo, I added more sauce to this serving before eating. Just so you know. Delicious!)
No comments:
Post a Comment