Creamy Chicken and Pasta Skillet
This dish is really a miracle in a pan.
One pan- no boiling the pasta, just brown the chicken, add in onions and garlic, a few artichokes, sun dried tomatoes and little chicken broth, cream. Add int he uncooked pasta and stir, stir, stir.
The friction creates a silky texture to the pasta (think risotto) and the chicken comes out tender and juicy. Dinner in 30 minutes with one pan to clean.
Yes folks, I’m here to make your life a little simpler.
Enjoy!
Equipment
- 1 pasta pot with lid
- strainer
- 12" skillet with tight fitting lid. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FUF5K8W?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzpinean0b-20&creativeASIN=B00FUF5K8W&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.1GVIUHO4F16YB&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ons_mixed_d_asin&th=1
- sharp chef's knife
- plastic wrap or parchment
- measuring cup
Ingredients
- 2-3 unit chicken breasts sliced lengthwise, pounded thin to create uniform pieces.
- 8 oz linquine
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp olive or vegetable oil
- ½ cup yellow onion chopped fine
- 2 fresh garlic cloves minced
- 3 TBSP tomato paste
- 1 tsp Italian seasonings
- ½ cup jarred artichoke hearts quartered, reserve the liquid
- ½ cup slivered sun dried tomatoes in oil- drained reserve 1-2 tsp of oil
- ½ cup pitted green olives sliced in half
- 1 ½ cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream or coconut milk
- 1/2-1 cup Parmesan cheese, divided
Instructions
- Cook the pasta until al dente- it should have a bit of bite to it. It will cook a bit more in the pan with the chicken as you assemble the dish. Use very salty water to cook your pasta. Drain the pasta, (but reserve 1 cup of the pasta water). Return the pasta to the pot to keep it warm.
To make the chicken :
- Pat the chicken dry using paper toweling. Season chicken breasts on both sides with about half of the salt and pepper. Heat a dry skillet over high heat. Add 2 tsp of olive oil or vegetable oil to a large pan over medium high heat. Allow the pan to become very hot and heat oil has reached it's smoking point- It will look shimmery- this takes about 3 minutes.
- Over medium high heat, brown the chicken on each side for about 2-3 minutes per side. Set aside- cover to keep warm. The chicken will not be cooked through- yet.
- In the same pan, sauté the onions in the pan juices from the chicken, adding in about 1-2 tsp of the oil from the tomatoes, if needed. Reduce the heat in the pan to low. Add in the garlic and sauté until fragrant- about 1-2 minutes. Add in the tomato paste and Italian seasonings and cook on low for 1-2 minutes stirring constantly to keep the ingredients from sticking.
- Add in artichokes, drained sun dried tomatoes, olives and 1-2 TBSP of reserved liquid from the artichokes. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up all the brown bits on the bottom of the pan- this is called "fond" and it adds great flavor to your sauce. Continue stirring to combine.
- Add in the cooked pasta and chicken broth, adding 1/2 cup of broth at a time to the pan and stir constantly for 5-7 minutes on medium low heat. Tuck the chicken breasts, with their juices, back into the pan, add cream and 1/2 cup parmesan. Lower heat to prevent pasta from sticking- add more broth or the reserved pasta water if needed)
- Cover and cook on low for 5 minutes. Turn up heat after 5-7 minutes and cook uncovered if sauce is too thin. Occasionally stir the pan to keep the sauce from sticking. The sauce should be thick and creamy.
- Remove cover from the pan. Sprinkle on extra Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately while hot.
Notes
For best results, The chicken should be of uniform thickness. Slice your chicken breasts lengthwise, then in half. Cover the thicker pieces with plastic wrap or parchment paper and using a rolling pin or meat mallet, Pound the thickest ends so that all the pieces are the same size.
Temperature control for the sauce is very important. Do not walk away from the pan, check the heat to make certain the sauce does not boil. Add more or less liquid as needed- you want plenty of sauce, but it should be thick- almost as thick as an Alfredo sauce.
