photo courtesy of Google images*Note: this pasta is best served immediately as it tends to get less creamy as it sits at room temperature - so serve warm right as it finishes cooking! (Incidentally, it heated up just fine the next day in the microwave on low power.)
*Serves 6
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 average-sized chicken breasts (about 1 to 1 ½ pounds), cut into chunks
2 red bell peppers, cut into ½-inch pieces
8 ounces white button mushrooms, quartered
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 pound orzo pasta *or any kind of pasta, tri-color rizoti is yummy!
8 ounces cream cheese, softened (can use 1/3 less fat cream cheese)
1 cup reserved pasta water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon) *I used 2 Tbl. bottled lemon juice
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook according to package directions until tender. When the orzo is ready, reserve 1 cup of the pasta water (ladling it into a small bowl is my method) and then drain the orzo and set aside.
While the orzo cooks, in a large nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the hot oil and brown on all sides. When nicely browned (but not all the way cooked through), add the peppers, mushrooms and thyme. Stir and let cook for about 5 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the mushrooms and peppers have softened and browned and most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
In the skillet over medium heat, add the softened cream cheese (if you forgot to let the cream cheese soften at room temperature, no worries! Pop it in the microwave for one minute on 40% power) in bite sized chunks and stir so that the cream cheese melts and coats the chicken and vegetables. Add the reserved pasta water and bring to a simmer. Add ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Stir. Add the orzo, Parmesan, lemon juice and fresh parsley. Stir to combine and heat through. Garnish with additional Parmesan and parsley.
Recipe Source: from My Kitchen Cafe (www.melskitchencafe.com)/adapted from Food and Wine Quick From Scratch Pasta Cookbook
This is such a favorite in our house - I could probably eat it every day!
especially yummy when you have all the fixings for it :)
2 T. olive oil
2-3 cooked chicken breast, shredded
1 onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
32 oz. chicken broth (or French onion soup mix with appropriate amount of water–
14 oz. Mexican style tomatoes
4 oz. green chilies
1+ tsp. cumin (add more if you like it spicy)
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. sugar
1 TB. Lime juice (or the juice of one lg. lime)
toppings:
Diced avocado
Sour Cream
Freshly cut cilantro
4 oz. shredded monterery jack or cheddar cheese
1 cup tortilla chips crushed a bit (to go inside soup while cooking, but you’ll want more to put on top of soup when serving)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, combine flour salt, dry mustard, pepper and cayenne. Melt butter in a medium skillet. Add scallions and saute for 2 minutes or until slightly softened. Add flour mixture and cook for 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 1/2 C cheese, and sour cream if using. Add macaroni. Pour into a greased 1 1/2 qt baking dish or 8X8 glass pan. Top with remaining 1/4 C cheese and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until bread crumbs are lightly browned. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.
