Chicken Alfredo is one of my all-time favorite meals-of course, my version is more a combination of that AND Pasta Primavera. To me, the most superb alfredo meals MUST be a marriage of chicken and veggies. Anything else just comes up lacking.
1st off: Cook boneless skinless chicken breasts. Two large ones are enough for a generous sprinkling of chicken pieces in this dish. Add more or less, per your liking. Once cooked through-cut into pieces, chunks, strips-whatever.
Secondly-slice up one of each: carrot, zucchini, yellow squash, onion. Saute these veggies in a few T. of butter and 1 T. of garlic. It is best to do the carrots and onions together-then add the squashes, as the former require a bit longer cooking time. DO NOT OVERCOOK. These really just need to be pushed around for a bit. Especially the zucchini and squash. MUSH is not a food group.
Meanwhile: boil water and cook fettucchini al dente. It is especially tasty when you use homemade vegetable fettuchini noodles-as I did (though I didn't MAKE the noodles, I bought them Amish...) though not NECESSARY. Use about a pound or so. Once cooked-you are ALMOST there.
Toss the noddles in a large pasta bowl. Add chicken pieces on top of that, add veggies on top of that and get working on the sauce:
1/2 c. butter
1 pint heavy whipping cream (or 2 cups)
1 t. garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste, and throw in a dash of cayenne for good measure.
Melt, simmer, and meld. Then-add 2/3 cup freshly grated parmesan, romano (or any mixture thereof). It just won't be the SAME if you use that horrible dried crumbly parmesan sprinkles...(and on a side note: I did some price comparing at Walmart and it is just a matter of a few CENTS difference between the crumbly and the fresh and fancy when you compare unit price. WELL worth it. I am switched for good from henceforth...) Heat that until parmesan is melted and mixed well-then pour over veggies, chicken, and pasta in bowl.
Fluff it and gently toss it to coat-and then take a picture, because it is just so perty and pretty soon it will be GONE...
4 comments:
Mmmmm...except I'd probably sub broccoli for the squash and zucchini.
I agree about fresh parmigiana! BTW, do you know that only cheese from the Parmigiana region of Italy can bear that name? "Parmesan" is made in a similar way, but is not from that area. It's like the way you can only call the sparkly stuff from Champagne, France, by that name.
It was delicious! It is a keeper recipe! Thanks so much for sharing. I made it last night and can't wait to eat the few leftovers for lunch. I sure do love your sites. I can't believe you have the time to keep them up, but I am sure glad that you do. Have a great day!!!
All these recipes look SO yummy. This one is no exception, but dry, gross, and crumbly parm it must be! I know you don't own as much stock in Aldi as I do, but Walmart's real parmesan is twice the price per pound as good ol' (or not so) Aldi crumbly. Ah, well. Just call me Aldis R Us.
And reassure me, here...this yummy picture tells me it's still worth the making with the dry stuff next summer, yes?!?!?
Funny Abby~I just finished posting about how I don't shop at Walmart anymore for groceries! A lot can change in a year, eh? I am sure it would taste very good with the dried parmesan-though I *might* be addicted to the shredded by now. Don't tell anyone though...
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