Garlic Pesto Chicken with Tomato Cream Sauce

Garlic Pesto Chicken with Tomato Cream Sauce

Marinade:

1/2 bottle of lawrys Herb and Garlic Marinade

2 large spoonfuls of Pesto 

2 boneless chicken breasts.

Cut chicken into one inch strips. Using same knife make slits into chicken. Pour lawrys marinade and pesto over chicken. Marinate over night (I did mine Sunday morning and cooked mine Monday evening so it marinated a while!!)

Sauce:

8 ounces of your choice of pasta (I used whole wheat penne) 

2 tablespoons of olive oil

3 cloves of garlic

2 spoonfuls of pesto

1/2 cup of chicken broth

8 ounces of tomato sauce 

1 cup of half and half

Boil water and start on noodles.

Pour entire batch of chicken, marinade and all, into skillet and cook chicken fully (the marinade will evaporate/cook down)

Heat olive oil, cook garlic. Add pesto. Simmer in chicken broth until half has cooked down. Add tomato sauce. Then add milk. Simmer for 5 minutes. Toss pasta in. Add flour if it needs to be thickened. Place chicken on top.

** Shannon's notes- I didn't marinate over night and it had plenty of flavor.  I don't think it really needs the olive oil.  I'd skip it next time since there's plenty of liquid to cook the garlic in.  We used whole milk instead of half and half.  Leftovers saved really well, sauce didn't separate at all!  I'm curious about marinading the chicken, then throwing it and everything else to cook for a few hours in the crockpot. Hmm...

Mizithra Cheese

If you have ever been to The Old Spaghetti Factory, you may have seen this dish on their menu.  It is one of my favorites, and sooooo easy to make.  It's very rich, so I tend to use it as a side dish with some grilled chicken and broccoli.  Or if you want to go for a vegetarian night, try making it your main course with sides of tomato caprese, veggies, and bread.

1/2 lb. thin spaghetti or angel hair
1 cube butter
mizithra cheese - sometimes spelled myzithra, you can find this in the specialty cheese area of your deli, I usually have luck at Smith's

Cook your pasta to desired firmness.  While pasta is cooking, put the butter in a small saucepan and cook it until it is brown. You will know it is done when it boils down and the milk solids turn brown and sink to the bottom as they solidify.  The butter will also smell deliciously nutty.  WATCH IT CAREFULLY as the next step after brown is burnt.

Drain pasta.  With tongs, dip pasta briefly into the butter then onto your plate.  Use your smallest shredder or microplaner to shred the mizithra cheese all over your pasta-- I like it pretty snowy.

Kimbre's Pasta

1 lb. pasta (penne or rotini work best)
1 pkg. ground italian sausage (I like mild, but you can do hot if you like your food spicy!)
3  14oz cans stewed tomatoes
1 cup cream (you can also use half & half if you want to go cheaper/ less fat)
parmesan cheese (the more expensive shredded stuff is delish, but grated works too)

Start water boiling for your pasta.  In a large skillet brown your sausage.  While sausage is browning, pour the stewed tomatoes undrained into a blender or food processor.  Pulse until you get the consistency you like-- I like mine a little chunky.  Once sausage is brown, add tomatoes and cream- it will be kinda soupy.  Let it warm through while pasta cooks.

Cook pasta UNDER desired tenderness-- a little hard in the middle is just about right.

Drain pasta, but DO NOT RINSE.  Pour pasta and sauce into casserole dish.  Sprinkle generously with cheese and mix in.  Top with more cheese if desired--I like lots!

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes, or until pasta has soaked up all that goodness and is tender!  This is a new favorite italian comfort food for our family!