Recipe: Chicken Pasta in a Creamy Wine Sauce.

Back in High School I went to Wolfgang Puck's restaurant here in DownTown Disney and being a vegetarian, I ordered my favorite dish of Fettuccine Alfredo. It was the best Fettuccine Alfredo I had ever had! It tasted like there was maybe some chicken broth to it or something but it was definitely different from any other I had had in the past and I was hooked. I've tried homemade Alfredo sauces before but I couldn't get it to come out right and the heavy whipped cream called for in so many of them always makes me feel sick afterwards. So about a month ago I decided to give my hand at my own made up recipe and it happened to be one of the biggest crowd pleas-ers for my family that I have ever served them, maybe still second best to McDonalds but I'll take it! Everyone had seconds and some had thirds!

Chicken and Pasta in a Creamy Wine Sauce:

ingredients: 2-3 chicken breasts tenderized and cut in half

1 lb of pasta (I prefer penne rigate)

3 tbs of minced garlic

olive oil (enough to cover bottom of pan your using)

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup white wine (I usually use chardonnay)

1 1/2-1 3/4 cups of regular whipping cream

6 oz of shaved, shredded, or grated fresh Parmesan cheese (I prefer the shaved)

Italian seasoning (or just oregano, salt, and pepper)

1/2 tbl of butter per chicken breast half

The first time I made this I eyeballed things and just kind of threw things in the pan I thought would taste good, this is pretty much how I do all of my cooking which is why I'm probably not the best chef but it's more fun for me. However I know some people have to have measurements or it drives them in sane so I did my best to measure everything the other night when I made it so I could share the recipe with you all.

Pour the olive oil into a large pan, enough to cover the bottom, and add the minced garlic over medium heat until it begins to caramelize.

Place chicken in the pan and brown both sides, about 4-5 mins each side.

Once each side is browned, place chicken in an oven safe dish and turn oven to 350.

Season both sides of chicken with Italian seasoning and place in oven once the oven is ready. Bake for 25 min. (you may have to bake longer depending on how thick your chicken is)

In the same pan as you browned the chicken, add the chicken broth and white wine to the garlic and oil that is leftover and simmer around medium heat. I burnt my garlic a little so your liquids shouldn't turn as brown as mine have, but if they do it still tastes just as good! (Also isn't my new whisk adorable??!! I found it on clearance at Anthropologie for less than $8... go get one!) Right about now you'll want to put a pot of water on to boil for the pasta. Once the water is boiling, add a good amount of salt and then the pasta, and cook until pasta is done.

After the broth and wine have simmered for about 5 minutes, add the whipping cream. You can use the heavy stuff if you prefer but I have found the regular is much lighter and we prefer it over the heavy in our home. Keep whisking it throughout while you wait for the pasta to cook. If you want the sauce to be a little thicker, you can add a couple tablespoons of flour to it but I don't think it's necessary.

Once pasta is cooked and drained, poor it into the pan with your sauce and mix it together.

Then add the Parmesan cheese to the top. You can either mix it here or leave it and begin dishing it out. Also if you don't have any vegetarians, this would be where you can cut up the chicken and add it to the pan as well. Since I don't eat meat or chicken, I serve it on the side and whoever wants to mix it together can and those who like to eat each separately can (I have one son who has to have each in a separate bowl... he gets that trait from his uncle!)

Serve with some crusty bread and a salad. 

If you end up making this let me know how it turns out and if you added anything to it! Bon Apetit!

+Meg+