Creamy Chicken and Bacon Pasta |
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Prep Time: 35 Minutes Cook Time: 0 Minutes |
Ready In: 35 Minutes Servings: 10 |
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I've been on a quest to create one-bowl entrees that can easily be heated at work for lunch. I was inspired by Shannon24's lighter Fettuccine Alfredo Fettuccini Alfredo - Light Edition. However, while cooking this I came across Vicki in AZ's Bisquick Sour Cream Biscuits Bisquick sour cream biscuits and decided to use the sour cream I bought for those instead. I opted to use cream cheese in my recipe here to replace the sour cream. Preparation time includes cutting the chicken. I have not set a separate cooking time because I cook one ingredient while prepping the next one. Plan for about 40 minutes from start until sitting down to eat. Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter |
4 teaspoons minced garlic cloves |
6 ounces evaporated skim milk |
1 tablespoon flour |
1/2 cup skim milk |
4 ounces cream cheese, cubed |
1/4 cup fresh parmesan cheese, grated |
1 tablespoon basil, dried |
1 teaspoon salt |
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper |
8 ounces dry pasta (i use barilla gemelli) |
8 ounces bacon, raw (i use half of a 12 oz. package of oscar meyer center cut instead) |
16 ounces boneless skinless chicken breasts |
4 ounces broccoli florets |
12 ounces brown button mushrooms, diced |
1/3 cup diced onion |
14 ounces diced tomatoes, canned |
8 ounces shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese |
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes (optional) |
Directions:
1. Steam broccoli in water. Reserve water to cook pasta.
2. Cook the pasta following the directions on the packaging. Add more water if necessary. Reserve pasta water for the mushrooms (Step 5) or for thinning out the sauce in last step.
3. Cook the chicken using your preferred method then dice. I cut mine into small strips and poach them using my Citrus Poached Chicken With Citrus Honey Sauce.
4. Dice the bacon and cook on medium high in a skillet until crisp. Remove to paper towel lined bowl to drain. If desired, use the remaining bacon drippings to brown the onions. If not, move to step three.
5. Brown onions in non-stick skillet on medium high using cooking spray. Once slightly brown, add mushrooms and saute until mushrooms are done. I like mine a little softer so once the liquid evaporates I usually add about 1/2 cup of pasta water or water from steaming veggies and allow that to evaporate, too.
6. Brown garlic in butter on medium high. Whisk flour into evaporated milk and add to garlic. Whisk constantly and bring to a soft bubble. Usually 5 minutes. Add skim milk and bring back to bubbling.
7. Set tomatoes to drain. Reserve liquid for another use.
8. Add cream cheese and stir until melted. Add Parmesan cheese and stir until melted.
9. In a large bowl pour the sauce over the pasta, chicken, broccoli, mushrooms, bacon, and tomatoes. Mix slightly to incorporate, then add the shredded cheese. Mix well.
10. If sauce seems a little thick and too sticky, add some of the pasta water (about 1/4 cup at first) to thin it out a little.
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