Bridget's Recipe Corner

 

Looking at my freezer, I must buy chicken every time it goes on sale. What can I say? I am a sucker for BOGO deals. Needless to say, we eat a lot of chicken. As such, sometimes it's difficult thinking about 'new/improved' ways to cook chicken. The inspiration for this pasta dish came from the herbed goat cheese I bought. Goat cheese is always a good thing in my mind. Added to the vegetables and broth, it was happily consumed and the leftovers were gobbled up the next day. Hope you enjoy it too!

Seasoned, Sautéed Chicken & Orecchiette
2 lbs. chicken tenders
1 1/2 bags fresh spinach
3/4 lb. asparagus, roasted (roasting the asparagus adds a nice flavor)
3/4 lb. mushrooms, sliced (I prefer to use a blend of mushrooms)
1/2 c. roasted red peppers, chopped
2 shallots, diced
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1 t. minced garlic
2 c. chicken stock
2-3 oz. garlic & herb goat cheese, or more if you prefer

olive oil

Orecchiette pasta (Barilla or DeCecco)
Kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
Washington Park seasonings (from Savory Shop)
1-2 t. finely chopped Flat leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 325°. For the chicken: Place chicken tenders in bowl. Generously drizzle olive oil over the top, stirring to coat well. Sprinkle with any seasonings you prefer as well as freshly ground black pepper. Let sit for about 15-20 minutes. Heat 1-2 t. olive oil in large skillet. When warm, add chicken, cooking well. Remove from heat. Let sit for a couple of minutes then chop into large chunks before adding to the sauce.  Bring large pot of water to boil. I started cooking the pasta while I was making the sauce.  For the asparagus: I washed and dried the asparagus, then snapped off the ends. Place on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with Kosher salt. Place in oven and roast/bake approximately 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Cut into smaller pieces if you prefer. For the vegetables/sauce: In same large skillet used for the chicken, heat 1 t. olive oil. When warm, add shallots, onion and garlic, stirring well. Add more olive oil, if necessary. Let cook approximately 2-3 minutes. Add mushrooms and 1/2 cup chicken stock/broth, cooking about 5 minutes, until mushrooms begin to soften. Add spinach, roasted peppers and 1/2 c. broth. As liquid gets absorbed you can add more for 'extra sauce.' Add goat cheese by teaspoonful, stirring to mix well. Add roasted asparagus and chopped chicken. Adjust seasonings as necessary. Drain the pasta, transfer to large bowl. Pour the chicken/veggie sauce over the pasta. Mix well. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Serve with your favorite beverage. I might suggest Matchbook Chardonnay or Muirwood Pinot Noir.