365 More Ways to Cook Chicken (365 ways) (36 page)

So, with chicken and pasta, the sky is the limit, Henny Penny.

Prep: 10 minutes Cook: 9 to 11 minutes Serves: 4

To save time here, take advantage of the many cut-up vegetables available in the produce section or at the salad bar of supermarkets. Another vegetable, such as zucchini or broccoli, can be substituted for the asparagus.

• ¾ pound bow tie pasta
  

• ¾ pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch chunks
  

• ¼ cup grainy Dijon mustard
  

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, preferably extra-virgin
  

• 16 slender asparagus spears, cut diagonally into
  1½
  -inch pieces
  

• 1 cup slivered carrots
  

• 1 cup slivered red bell pepper
  

• ¾ cup thinly sliced scallions
  

• ¾ cup frozen baby green peas
  

• 1 cup heavy cream
  

• ½
  cup chicken broth
  

• ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
  

• ½ teaspoon salt
  

• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  

1.
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until tender but still firm, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain in a colander.

2.
Meanwhile, toss chicken with 2 tablespoons of mustard to coat lightly. In a large frying pan, cook chicken in olive oil over medium-high heat 3 minutes. Reduce neat to medium and add asparagus, carrots, and bell pepper. Cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add scallions and cook 30 seconds. Add peas, cream, broth, basil, salt, pepper, and remaining 2 tablespoons mustard. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until chicken is white throughout and vegetables are crisp-tender, 3 to 5 minutes.

3.
Place hot cooked pasta in a large serving bowl. Pour sauce with chicken and vegetables over pasta. Toss to mix well. Serve in shallow bowls.

Prep: 20 minutes Cook: 40 to 42 minutes Serves:6

• 12 cannelloni tubes (about 8 ounces)
  

• 2 cups chopped cooked chicken (about
  ½
  pound)
  

• 1
  ½
  cups part-skim ricotta cheese
  

• ⅓ cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
  

• ⅓ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
  

• 1 egg
  

• 1 garlic clove, minced
  

• ¾ teaspoon salt
  

• ½
  teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  

• ½
  teaspoon dried oregano
  

• ½
  teaspoon grated nutmeg
  

• 4 cups marinara sauce
  

1.
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until tender but still firm, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain in a colander, then dry on a kitchen towel until ready to use.

2. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, combine chicken, ricotta, Parmesan cheese, parsley, egg, garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, and nutmeg. Mix until well blended. Use a small spoon to insert filling into cannelloni tubes.

3.
Spoon about 1 cup of marinara sauce over bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Arrange filled cannelloni in dish in a single layer. Spoon remaining sauce over pasta. Cover with foil. (Recipe can be baked immediately or refrigerated up to 24 hours and returned to room temperature before baking.)

4.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake cannelloni until sauce is bubbly and filling is hot, about 30 minutes.

Prep: 15 minutes Stand: 30 minutes Cook: 17 to 20 minutes Serves: 6

Sun-dried tomatoes are a delicious way to liven up canned tomatoes for a winter pasta dish that smacks of summer. Use the sun-dried tomatoes that come in a package, not those packed in oil. They are salty enough; you probably won’t need any added salt here.

• 2
  ½
  cups chicken broth, preferably reduced-sodium
  

• 1 cup sun-dried tomato halves (about 2 ounces)
  

• 1 pound bow tie pasta
  

• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts
  

• ½
  teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  

• ¼ cup olive oil, preferably extra-virgin
  

• 1 cup chopped scallions
  

• 1 (14
  ½
  -ounce) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes
  

• Grated Parmesan cheese
  

1.
Heat broth in a medium saucepan. Remove pan from heat and add sundried tomatoes. Let stand 30 minutes. Drain, reserving any liquid. Coarsely chop tomatoes. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until tender but still firm, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain in a colander.

2.
Meanwhile, use your hands to flatten chicken to a more even thickness. Season with pepper. In a large frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add chicken and cook over medium-high heat, turning once or twice, until white throughout, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from pan and slice crosswise.

3.
Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to pan, reduce heat to medium, and cook scallions, stirring occasionally, until soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Add chopped sun-dried tomatoes to pan along with reserved liquid, stewed tomatoes, and chicken. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 5 minutes.

4.
Toss sauce with pasta. Pass grated cheese separately.

Prep: 15 minutes Cook: 12 to 15 minutes Serves: 4 to 6

Scampi sauce is a simple blend of garlic, wine, lemon, and herbs. It’s just as good with chicken as it is with shrimp. Here it is served on spinach fettuccine for a sophisticated presentation.

• 1 pound spinach fettuccine
  

• 1 pound thinly sliced chicken breast cutlets
  

• ¼ teaspoon salt
  

• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  

• tablespoons butter
  

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, preferably extra-virgin
  

• ¾ cup chopped scallions
  

• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
  

• 1
  ½
  cups chicken broth, preferably reducedsodium
  

• 1 cup dry white wine
  

• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried
  

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or
  ½
  teaspoon dried
  

• ¼ to
  ½
  teaspoon crushed hot red pepper
  

• ½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
  

1.
Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain in a colander.

2.
Meanwhile, season chicken with salt and pepper. In a large frying pan, heat half each of butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, turning once, until white throughout, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan.

3.
Add remaining butter and oil to pan, reduce heat to medium, and add scallions and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until garlic is softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add broth, wine, basil, thyme, and hot pepper. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is reduced by about one-fourth, 5 to 7 minutes. Return chicken to pan to reheat briefly, then remove chicken again.

4.
Toss pasta and ¼ cup of parsley with sauce. Divide among plates. Arrange chicken on top and garnish with remaining parsley.

Prep: 30 minutes Cook: 55 to 60 minutes Serves: 6

Most of the work can be done in advance here, making this very pretty presentation perfect for summer entertaining. Dice the vegetables by cutting them roughly into ¼- to
½
-inch cubes.

• ¼ cup plus 2
  ½
  tablespoons olive oil, preferably extra-virgin
  

• 1 large onion, chopped
  

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed through a press
  

• 2 small zucchini (about
  ½
  pound total), diced
  

• 1 small eggplant (about ¾ pound), peeled and diced
  

• 1 medium green bell pepper, diced
  

• ¾ pound plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
  

• 1 cup dry white wine
  

• ½
  cup chicken broth
  

• ½
  cup halved and pitted niçoise olives
  

• 1 tablespoon drained small capers
  

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried
  

• ½
  teaspoon crushed hot red pepper
  

• 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
  

• ¾ teaspoon salt
  

• ½
  teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  

• 1 pound capellini
  

• ¼ cup chopped fresh basil or parsley
  

1.
In a large frying pan or flameproof casserole, heat ¼ cup olive oil. Add onion and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic, zucchini, eggplant, and bell pepper. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes.

2.
Add tomatoes, wine, and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes. Add olives, capers, rosemary, and hot pepper and simmer 5 minutes longer. Keep warm until ready to use or make up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate. Reheat before serving.

3.
Prepare a medium-hot fire in a barbecue grill. Brush chicken with 1
½
teaspoons of olive oil. Season with
½
teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Grill, turning once or twice, until browned outside and white throughout but still juicy, 12 to 15 minutes.

4.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain and place in a large bowl. Toss hot pasta with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, basil, and remaining ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper.

5.
Using about 1 cup of cooked pasta for each serving, place on dinner plates and swirl with a fork or your fingers to create a nest with a cavity slightly bigger than chicken breast. Spoon some sauce in and around nests, then set a grilled chicken breast half in each nest. Serve at once.

Prep: 10 minutes Cook: 25 minutes Serves: 4

• 4 bone-in chicken breast halves, skin removed
  

• 1 medium onion, chopped
  

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
  

• 2 cups chicken broth, preferably reduced-sodium
  

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  

• 1
  ½
  teaspoons grated lemon zest
  

• ¼ teaspoon crushed hot red pepper
  

• 1 (4-ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts
  

• ¾ pound cavatelli
  

• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  

• ¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley