Okay. Another family favorite. It's also a favorite of anyone that has eaten it at our house or that has gotten the recipe from me. It is a SUPER simple meal, includes nearly every food group in a serving, and tastes GOOD! We love it, the kids love it, how can you go wrong? I will apologize now, it calls for cream cheese. But that is the only ingredient that you may not be able to find in the market or local grocery store. I know that a large portion of you reading this can get cream cheese if you want it. Also, if you live in my city and don't know about the fish market where I buy cream cheese (and mozzarella and whipping cream and butter and other canned goods) in bulk for CHEAP, just ask!! I'm happy to give directions or take you if I'm going!
Creamy Chicken and Vegetable Pasta
2 cups uncooked pasta (penne, ziti, rotini, shells--all work nicely)
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (put more if you want it really meaty)
1-2 tsp oil
1 cup chicken broth
8 oz pkg cream cheese
1 lg head broccoli, cut and washed**
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped or pressed
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
15 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, optional
Chop broccoli into bite size pieces. Place in microwave safe bowl with about an inch of water. Sprinkle a little salt over broccoli. Cover with plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 3-4 minutes to steam broccoli. Remove, uncover and drain water. Set aside. You can also steam it on the stove, of course, I just only have 2 burners! You want it to still be bright green and crisp, not soggy--it will cook more later.
Cook pasta according to package directions in salted water.
Cut chicken breasts into 1 inch cubes. Sprinkle some salt and pepper over chicken. Saute in a skillet with oil and garlic. Add cream cheese, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Stir to combine and start melting cheese. Add broccoli and heat for 2-3 minutes. Make sure cheese is melted. Add tomato halves and cook for an additional couple minutes to slightly soften tomatoes.
Toss drained pasta with the chicken and vegetable mixture. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, if desired. (It is fine without it!) Enjoy!
**The original recipe calls for 9oz frozen spinach, thawed and drained. If you're using fresh, you'd just need a huge bunch and then steam it--going for about 1 1/4 cups cooked spinach. I think this would be great in it, but we have always used broccoli because the kids (and Brian) like it better than spinach. Let us know if you try it both ways and which you like better!
2 cups uncooked pasta (penne, ziti, rotini, shells--all work nicely)
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (put more if you want it really meaty)
1-2 tsp oil
1 cup chicken broth
8 oz pkg cream cheese
1 lg head broccoli, cut and washed**
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped or pressed
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
15 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, optional
Chop broccoli into bite size pieces. Place in microwave safe bowl with about an inch of water. Sprinkle a little salt over broccoli. Cover with plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 3-4 minutes to steam broccoli. Remove, uncover and drain water. Set aside. You can also steam it on the stove, of course, I just only have 2 burners! You want it to still be bright green and crisp, not soggy--it will cook more later.
Cook pasta according to package directions in salted water.
Cut chicken breasts into 1 inch cubes. Sprinkle some salt and pepper over chicken. Saute in a skillet with oil and garlic. Add cream cheese, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Stir to combine and start melting cheese. Add broccoli and heat for 2-3 minutes. Make sure cheese is melted. Add tomato halves and cook for an additional couple minutes to slightly soften tomatoes.
Toss drained pasta with the chicken and vegetable mixture. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, if desired. (It is fine without it!) Enjoy!
**The original recipe calls for 9oz frozen spinach, thawed and drained. If you're using fresh, you'd just need a huge bunch and then steam it--going for about 1 1/4 cups cooked spinach. I think this would be great in it, but we have always used broccoli because the kids (and Brian) like it better than spinach. Let us know if you try it both ways and which you like better!
YUMM! I love this recipe, definitely another one of my favorites! Sure wish I had some cream cheese right now... :)
ReplyDeleteI made this last night for dinner and everyone loved it! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI will take you up on the trip to the market (or directions). I would LOVE a huge block of cream cheese.
ReplyDeleteNext time you're in town, let me know! I buy mozzarella there (27-30/jin if buying a few kg at a time), cream cheese (2kg for 90-120 depending on brand), canned blueberries, pickles, spices, vinegars and olive oils, Worchestershire, canned artichokes, mustard, butter (Anchor is 12 per 1 cup block), and some other odds and ends from time to time. Everything there is significantly cheaper than anywhere else in town.
ReplyDeleteJust realized I gave you this recipe. It's one of our favorites too!
ReplyDeleteYep, you did, Ashley. We've maybe adapted it a bit, but we have always liked it!
ReplyDeleteJust did this one for the fam tonight! Thanks for the recipe Sara Beth!! My kids aren't thrilled when I stick tomatoes into recipes (go figure!) and so I left those out, it was still fantastic!! It's a keeper!!
ReplyDeleteWell, Sarah Beth this one won Maddie's approval which is saying a lot! She took one bite and said, "Yeah!! Make this all the time!" Thanks for a good way to use my block of cream cheese.
ReplyDeleteWow, this recipe made a huge amount! We thought it tasted a little bland, but that could be due to not putting the tomatoes into the recipe. We added hot pepper flakes and everyone enjoyed it. We will make it again.
ReplyDeleteYeah, tomatoes add something for sure, but I'll tell you--we REALLY season up our chicken and broccoli. If you don't, the chicken is definitely under seasoned with just the sauce. We shake on a really healthy amount of salt and pepper and sometimes some onion powder or garlic salt to the chicken when we saute it. I also salt or garlic salt the broccoli before steaming. Not sure if you get parmesan, but I feel that adds a lot if you sprinkle that on too at the table. Red pepper flakes are a great idea! We've not tried that! Oh and I salt my pasta water, too. Can you tell we like salt?!?
ReplyDeleteWe love it with spinach!
ReplyDeleteHere are my thoughts on it...
* I make some chicken broth w bullion cubes, scoop out the cup I need for later and then cook my noodles in the chicken broth. This helps add a layer of extra flavor. So good!
* with spinach I steam it a bit in a plastic bag for o more than a minute in the microwave. Then I add the tomatoes first toilet them soften up then add the spinach. Too long in the microwave or in the sauce makes them not as yummy (to me)
* once I had some mushrooms and added some to it. Yum!
Thanks for this recipe. I've made it nearly weekly and even made it for a family with a new baby. It's a winner!
....sorry...auto correct changed a few vital things ! Ha!
ReplyDeleteI do NO more than a minute...
and
I add the tomatoes to LET them soften. I do not cook in my toilet.
Thanks for helping us all cook good things!
Cooking in the chicken stock water is a great idea, Sharon! Thanks for sharing! Twice now I've made a new creamy pasta dish (milk and cream rather than cream cheese) with some Cajun kick to it and its SO good! I'm going to share it soon!
ReplyDeletegosh, i miss this stuff! i'm going to have to try it! im sitting in a seminar and showing the ppl sitting next to me pictures from this blog!
ReplyDeleteashton
I have really been enjoying your recipes, and my whole family loved this one! We live in Cambodia, and I've loved all your recipes I've tried! Thanks!!!-Tara S.
ReplyDeleteso yummy! made it tonight! my hubby is looking forward to leftovers tomorrow night. thankfully our bakery shop was open and had cream cheese this evening ^_^
ReplyDelete