Chicken Pasta with Sundried Tomatoes and Pine nuts

 

Remember when sun dried tomatoes were all the rage? They are still one of my favorites and this pasta is chock full of them. Plus my kids like them too so this pasta is a double win! I originally got this recipe from an old church cookbook of my mom's but have tweaked it a bit over the years.  I love that the sauce all cooks in one pan and you simply mix it in with some cooked pasta.  

In related news: I like to drizzle it with some balsamic glaze (totally optional) and I've recently found the Nonna Pia brand at Costco and have fallen in love.  I used to make my own but that's a lot of cooking for a weeknight. Haha!  If you love balsamic give this a try.  It's super yummy over a plate of fresh mozzarella, roma tomato and chopped basil.

Anyway, without further ado...the recipe!

Chicken Pasta with Sundried Tomatoes and Pine Nuts

Ingredients:

1 lb. pasta- cooked according to package directions (The picture shows gemelli but penne or farfalle work well also)
Olive oil
1 lb. chicken tenderloins (diced into 1 in. pieces)
1/2 sweet onion (diced)
3 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes (chopped) (I use Trader's Joes Julienne cut)
1/4 cup pinenuts
1 1/4 cups chicken broth
1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes (do not drain!)
1/4 cup fresh basil (chopped)
1 tsp. italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, plus more to top (You can use shredded or shaved)
Balsamic glaze to top (optional)

Instructions:

Bring water to boil in a large pot and cook pasta according to package directions. When cooked drain pasta and return to pan.  Toss with a little olive oil to keep from sticking.

While pasta cooks, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large skillet and saute chicken pieces for about 5 minutes or until browned all over.  Add diced onion and continue cooking until chicken is cooked through and onion is soft (adding more olive oil as needed to keep things from sticking).  Add garlic, sundried tomatoes and pine nuts to pan and cook until fragrant about 1 minute.  

Add chicken broth, canned diced tomatoes (liquid and all), and chopped basil.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to medium-low.  Simmer until reduced by about half (10-15 minutes).  

Add heavy cream  and 1/2 cup shredded or shaved parmesan. Continue cooking sauce for another 5 minutes or until somewhat creamy.  Pour over cooked pasta, stirring well to combine.

To serve: top with extra cheese and balsamic glaze if desired.

Chicken Tetrazzini

 

I originally got this recipe from my good friend Jenny (you can view her version of the recipe here)!  Like most recipes, it's evolved for me over the years in how I make it so I thought I'd finally write it down for posterity, lol. This recipe is great for kids and adults alike.  It's a super comforting and cozy meal for fall and winter.  It's been awhile since I've made it and I kind of wish I was making it tonight!  

Chicken Tetrazinni

Ingredients:

1 lb. package whole grain spaghetti noodles

olive oil

1 med. sweet onion (chopped)

3 cloves minced garlic

2 T. butter

1/3 cup flour 

2 (12 oz.) cans evaporated milk

3 cups chicken broth

1 tsp. dry mustard

dash of nutmeg

1 tsp. parsley

salt and pepper (to taste)

1 can mushroom pieces

3 cups diced chicken (I use a rotisserie)

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Instructions:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook noodles. Once they are cooked, drain and place noodles in a 9x13 baking dish.

Meanwhile, heat a large drizzle of oil in another large pot.  Add onion and cook until softened. Add garlic and continue cooking for 1 minute.  Stir in butter until melted and add flour.  Slowly stir in milk and chicken broth, stirring constantly. Add seasonings and simmer until sauce is thickened (about 10 min.) Stir in mushrooms and chicken.

Pour sauce over the noodles in the baking dish.  Top with shredded cheddar.  Bake casserole at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.  Enjoy!

Apricot Chicken

 

This recipe is amazingly easy and kid friendly. It's also a great freezer meal!  I like to bake it in a 9x13in. dish but you can also cook it in a crockpot or instant pot if you don't mind it being more like shredded chicken. 

A quick side note: One of the ingredients is Russian dressing. It's important to note that there are two different kinds of russian dressing...one is a lot like french/catalina and the other is creamy like thousand island.  In this recipe you'll want to use the one that looks like french/catalina.  Wishbone has a good one but I can't always find it so I use french or catalina as a substitute.  

If you're looking for a fast new chicken recipe that your kids will all eat give this a try!

Apricot Chicken

Ingredients

5-6 chicken breasts (cut into strips)

1 cup apricot jam

8 oz. russian, french, or catalina dressing (make sure you read my side note above about the russian dressing)

1 packet dry onion soup mix (I prefer lipton)

Jasmine rice for serving

Instructions:

Cut chicken breasts into strips and place in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. In a small bowl mix jam, salad dressing and onion soup together.  Pour over chicken (moving chicken around slightly to make sure it is fully coated in the dressing mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.  Serve over rice!