Chicken and Broccoli Pasta with Lemon Cream Sauce

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 35 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• ½ lb. frozen broccoli florets
• ½ lb. rotini pasta 
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about ⅔ lb. total) 
• Salt and Pepper 
• 1 Tbsp olive oil 
• 2 cloves garlic 
• 1 fresh lemon 
• ½ cup chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream*

Instructions

1. Take the broccoli florets out of the freezer and allow them to thaw. When they are soft enough to cut, chop them into smaller, bite-sized pieces. Set the broccoli aside to fully thaw until you are ready to use them.
2. Bring a large pot of water to boil for the pasta. Once boiling, add the pasta and continue to boil until the pasta is tender. Drain the pasta in a colander.
3. While the water for the pasta is heating, season both sides of the chicken thighs with a pinch of salt and pepper. Heat a deep skillet over medium flame, then add the olive oil. Tilt the skillet to coat the surface in oil, then add the chicken thighs. Cook the thighs on both sides until golden brown and cooked through (about 5 minutes each side). Remove the thighs to a cutting board and let rest.
4. While the chicken is cooking, zest the lemon using a zester or small-holed cheese grater and mince the garlic. Once the chicken has been removed from the skillet, turn the heat down to medium-low, and add the garlic. Sauté the garlic for 1-2 minutes, or just until it is soft and fragrant.
5. Add the chicken broth to the skillet and stir to dissolve all the browned bits off the bottom of the skillet. Add the heavy cream, about 1 tsp of the lemon zest, and 2 Tbsp of the lemon's juice. Stir to combine, and allow the cream to come up to a gentle simmer. Simmer the sauce for a few minutes, or until it thickens slightly. Taste the sauce and adjust the salt, pepper, or lemon if needed. Season the sauce liberally so the flavors are not diluted once combined with the pasta, broccoli, and chicken.
6. Chop the cooked chicken into small pieces, then add it to the cream sauce in the skillet along with the drained pasta and chopped broccoli florets. Stir to combine and coat everything in sauce. Allow the chicken, broccoli, and pasta to heat through, then serve.

Notes

*You MUST use heavy cream for this recipe, not half and half, not milk, or else the lemon will cause it to curdle.

Step by Step Photos

Start by taking 1/2 lb. frozen broccoli florets out of the freezer to thaw. Once they’ve softened a bit, chop them into smaller, bite-sized pieces and set them aside to fully thaw. Also bring a large pot of water to a boil to cook 1/2 lb. of pasta. Once boiling, add the pasta and continue to boil until the pasta is tender. Drain the pasta in a colander.

While the pasta water is heating, start on the chicken thighs. Season both sides of two boneless, skinless chicken thighs with salt and pepper (this is about 2/3 lb. total).

Heat a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil and tilt the skillet to coat the surface. Add the chicken thighs and cook on both sides until golden brown and cooked through (about 5 minutes each side). Make sure to let the chicken brown, as the browned bits help flavor the sauce. Remove the chicken thighs from the skillet to a cutting board. Turn the heat under the skillet down to medium-low.

While the chicken is cooking, zest the lemon so it’s ready to go when you need it. Also mince two cloves of garlic.

After removing the chicken from the skillet and turning the heat down to medium-low, add the minced garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes, or until the garlic is soft and fragrant.

Add 1/2 cup chicken broth to the skillet and stir to dissolve all the browned bits off the surface.

Add one cup heavy cream to the skillet, along with about 1 tsp of the lemon zest and 2 Tbsp of the lemon’s juice.

Let the sauce come up to a gentle simmer and let it simmer for a few minutes, or until it thickens slightly. Season the sauce liberally with salt, pepper, and more lemon, if needed.

Chop the cooked chicken into smaller pieces…

Then add the pasta, chicken, and broccoli to the skillet with the lemon cream sauce.

Stir until everything is combined and coated in sauce. Let the pasta, broccoli, and chicken heat through, then serve.

German Potato Salad

PREP TIME

10 mins

COOK TIME

15 mins

TOTAL TIME

25 mins

 

Serves: 6 (about ¾c each)

INGREDIENTS

• 2 lbs. small red potatoes 
• ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp coarse ground mustard 
• 1 Tbsp white sugar 
• Freshly cracked pepper
• ½ tsp salt (plus more for the potato water) 
• 3oz. bacon 
• 1 small yellow onion 
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Scrub the potatoes well, then add them to a large pot with enough cool water to cover the potatoes by one inch. Add approximately ½ Tbsp salt to the cooking water. Place a lid on the pot, turn the heat on to high, and bring the pot to a boil. Continue to boil the potatoes until they can easily be pierced with a fork (about 15 minutes).
2. Meanwhile, prepare the dressing. In a small bowl stir together the apple cider vinegar, coarse ground mustard (or Dijon if preferred), sugar, some freshly cracked pepper, and about ½ tsp salt.
3. Cut the bacon into one inch pieces and add them to a large skillet. Sauté the bacon over medium heat until brown and crispy. Remove the bacon from the skillet and place it on a paper towel lined plate to drain. Leave the remaining bacon grease in the skillet.
4. While the bacon is cooking, dice the onion. After removing the bacon, add the onion to the skillet and sauté it in the leftover bacon grease until the onions are soft and transparent. Turn the heat off. Add the prepared dressing and whisk until the dressing is well blended with the bacon fat and it has thickened just slightly.
5. Once the potatoes are tender, drain them in a colander. Let them cool for a few minutes, or just until they are cool enough to handle. Slice the potatoes into ¼-inch thick medallions or half moons. Add the sliced potatoes, cooked bacon, and chopped parsley to the skillet with the dressing. Stir to combine. Serve immediately while the potatoes are still warm.

STEP BY STEP PHOTOS

Wash 2 lbs. of small red potatoes well. Place them in a large pot and add enough water to cover them by one inch. Add about 1/2 Tbsp salt to the water to make sure the potatoes are well seasoned. Place a lid on the pot and turn the heat on to high. Bring the pot to a boil, then continue to boil the potatoes until they are tender enough to be easily pierced with a fork (about 15 minutes).

Meanwhile, prepare the mustard vinaigrette. In a small bowl stir together 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar, 1 Tbsp coarse ground mustard (or Dijon, if you prefer that), 1 Tbsp white sugar, some freshly ground pepper (maybe 15-20 cranks of a pepper mill), and 1/2 tsp salt. 

Slice 3oz. of bacon into one-inch strips. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until it is brown and crispy. Remove the bacon to a paper towel lined plate, leaving the grease in the skillet.

While the bacon is browning, dice one small yellow onion. After removing the bacon from the skillet, add the diced onion and sauté it in the bacon fat until the onion is soft and transparent. Turn off the heat.

Pour in the prepared dressing and whisk it into the bacon fat. It will create a slight emulsion and get just a LITTLE bit thicker.

Once the potatoes are tender, drain them in a colander and let them cool for just a few minutes or until they are cool enough to handle. Slice the potatoes into 1/4-inch rounds or half moons. Add the sliced potatoes to the skillet with the dressing, along with the crisp bacon and about 1/4 cup of chopped parsley.

Finally, just stir everything together until it’s coated in dressing! Ta-da!

Make sure to serve the potato salad while it’s still a bit warm… Oooh, it’s the best! (disclaimer: I’ve eaten the leftovers cold and it’s still awesome.)

Resource from GERMAN POTATO SALAD

Spaghetti Carbonara

PREP TIME

10 mins

COOK TIME

15 mins

TOTAL TIME

25 mins

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

• 3oz. bacon 
• 2 cloves garlic
• 12oz. spaghetti 
• 3 large eggs 
• ¾ cup grated Parmesan
• Freshly cracked pepper
• Salt to taste 
• Handful fresh parsley (optional) 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Fill a large pot with water for the pasta and season with salt. Place a lid on the pot and bring it up to a boil over high heat.
2. While waiting for the water to boil, cut the bacon into small pieces. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-low heat until brown and crispy. Remove the cooked bacon from the skillet, then turn the heat down to low. Mince two cloves of garlic, add them to the warm skillet, and sauté for about one minute or until fragrant and softened, then turn off the heat.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, ½ cup of the Parmesan, and a generous dose of freshly cracked pepper.
4. The water should be boiling at this point, so add the pasta, stir well, and continue to boil the pasta until al dente. Reserve one cup of the starchy pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta in a colander.
5. Add ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water to the skillet that was used to cook the bacon. Stir the warm water in the skillet and dissolve the browned bits from the surface of the skillet. Add the steaming hot drained pasta to the skillet and toss in the bacon liquid in the skillet.
6. Pour the egg and Parmesan mixture over the hot pasta and immediately begin to stir or toss the pasta. Continue to stir the hot pasta in the egg mixture until a creamy sauce forms. Add the remaining Parmesan, a little more freshly cracked pepper, and the reserved bacon bits, and toss again. If the pasta becomes too thick or dry, add a splash more of the reserved pasta water.
7. Finally, taste the pasta and adjust the salt, Parmesan, or pepper if needed. Top with a pinch or two of roughly chopped parsley leaves.

STEP BY STEP PHOTOS

To make this recipe a little more affordable, I’m using bacon (a small amount) instead of guanciale or pancetta. I only used 3oz., or 1/4 of this 12oz. package. I like to cut my bacon packages into quarters and then freeze the rest. That way I can grab out 1/4 at a time to use as needed.

Cut the bacon into smaller pieces, then brown the bacon in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Remove the bacon from the skillet, then turn the heat down to low and add two cloves of minced garlic. Sauté the garlic for about one minute, or just until it loses its raw edge. Then turn the heat off.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then add the pasta. Stir the pasta, then continue to boil until tender. Reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta in a colander.

While you’re waiting for the pasta to cook, whisk together 3 large eggs, about 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, and a hefty dose of freshly cracked pepper.

Add about 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water to the skillet that was used to cook the bacon. Stir the hot cooking water to dissolve the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.

Toss the drained (but still steaming hot) pasta in the skillet with the bacon water.

Pour the egg and Parmesan mixture over the hot pasta. Immediately begin stirring or tossing the hot pasta to distribute the egg mixture and prevent it from curdling. Stir until a creamy sauce forms (this happens quickly).

Finally, add the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan, the reserved bacon, and more pepper. Toss the pasta until the Parmesan melts into the sauce.

See that creamy sauce on the bottom? MMmmmm

To finish the pasta, just give it a taste and add salt, pepper, or Parmesan if needed.

Source from SPAGHETTI CARBONARA

Greek Chicken Pasta Salad

PREP TIME

40 mins

COOK TIME

20 mins

TOTAL TIME

1 hour

 

Serves: 4-6

INGREDIENTS

MARINADE/DRESSING

• 1 lemon 
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, divided
• ½ Tbsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp salt 
• Freshly cracked pepper
• 
  

SALAD

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs 
• 8oz. pasta (any shape) 
• 1 bell pepper (any color)
• 4oz. grape tomatoes* 
• ½ cucumber (1.5 cups diced)
• ¼ bunch parsley 
• 2oz. feta 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Use a zester, microplane, or small-holed cheese grater to remove the zest from the lemon. Set the zest aside. Squeeze the juice from the lemon into a separate bowl. You'll need at least ¼ cup juice.
2. Prepare the dressing and marinade by mincing two of the three cloves of garlic and combining them with ¼ cup lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, salt, some freshly cracked pepper, and a pinch of the lemon zest. Whisk these ingredients until well combined.
3. Place the chicken thighs in a small zip lock bag and add half of the dressing, saving the rest to add to the salad later. Mince one more clove of garlic and add it to the bag with the chicken and marinade. Squeeze the air out and massage the bag to make sure the thighs are well coated in the marinade. Refrigerate the thighs for at least 30 minutes.
4. While the chicken is marinating, cook the pasta according to the package directions, drain in a colander, and let cool.
5. Heat a skillet over a medium flame. Once hot, add the marinated chicken thighs and cook on each side until they are well browned and cooked through (about 5 minutes each side). There should be enough oil in the marinade to keep the meat from sticking. Remove the cooked chicken from the skillet and let it rest for about five minutes. Once slightly cooled, chop the chicken into smaller, bite-sized pieces.
6. While the chicken is cooking, prepare the rest of the vegetables. Dice the cucumber and bell pepper. Slice the tomatoes in half (or dice if using Roma or regular tomatoes). Pull the parsley leaves from the stems and give them a rough chop.
7. Finally, build the salad. Add the cooked and cooled pasta to a large bowl. Top the pasta with the cucumber, bell pepper, tomatoes, parsley, and chopped chicken. Crumble the feta over top and add a pinch or two of the lemon zest. Pour the remaining dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to eat.

NOTES

*I got a sale on a snack pack of grape tomatoes, but two Roma tomatoes (diced) or one medium tomato can be used in place of the grape tomatoes.

STEP BY STEP PHOTOS

Start by removing the zest from one lemon. The zest is the magic part of the lemon. It provides an incredibly lemony flavor without making things too sour. So, for this recipe we use both the juice and the zest for an extra lemony kick. Use a zester, microplane, or small-holed cheese grater to scrape the thin layer of yellow zest from the peel. Set the zest aside. Squeeze the juice from the lemon into a separate bowl. You’ll need at least 1/4 cup of juice.

Now prepare the mixture that will be used as both the dressing and the marinade. Mince two cloves of garlic and combine them in a bowl with 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/2 Tbsp dried oregano, 1/2 tsp salt, some freshly cracked pepper, and a pinch of that lemon zest. Whisk with a fork until well combined.

Add two boneless, skinless chicken thighs to a zip lock bag and add half of that dressing, plus one more clove of minced garlic (you really want the chicken to be garlicky!). Squeeze out all the air, give the bag a quick massage to distribute the marinade, then refrigerate the chicken for at least 30 minutes.

While the chicken is marinating, cook 8oz. of pasta (any shape) according to the package directions. Drain the pasta in a colander, and let it cool.

Heat a skillet over a medium flame and once hot, add the marinated chicken thighs. There should be enough oil on them from the marinade to keep them from sticking. Cook the thighs on each side until well browned and cooked through (about five minutes each side).  Seriously, this chicken was SO GOOD that I’m probably going to feature it as its own recipe soon. I wanted to eat it by itself.

Remove the chicken from the skillet and let it rest for a few minutes, then chop it into smaller, bite-sized pieces.

While the chicken is cooking, prepare the rest of the vegetables. Dice 1/2 cucumber (1.5 cups diced), dice the bell pepper, slice the tomatoes in half (or dice if using Roma or regular tomatoes), and give the parsley a rough chop.

Finally, it’s time to put everything together! Place the cooked, drained, and cooled pasta in a large bowl (it’s under there, I swear). Top the pasta with the tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, parsley, and chopped chicken. Finally, crumble 2oz. feta over everything and add one last pinch of lemon zest.

Pour the remaining dressing over the salad…

And toss until everything is coated in dressing. Done!

Source from GREEK CHICKEN PASTA SALAD