Thursday, September 20, 2007

Summer Chicken Alfredo


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...


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4 comments:

Mom2fur said...

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.

Anonymous said...

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!!!

Abigail said...

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?!?!?

Rebecca said...

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...