The Mister and I eat a lot of chicken. He recently had a physical and his cholesterol was on the high end of normal, so we try keep the red meat to once a week or less.
The problem is, we eat chicken so often, I feel like I'm running out of new and interesting ways to cook it. Which I know is absolutely not true, given the millions of recipes out there, I just tend toward the lazy side and don't feel like sifting through all the possibilities.
I started my search at the blogs I follow, checking out their chicken main dishes. This one from A Taste of Home Cooking (the host blog of the swaps in which I participate) seemed quick and easy, and baby-friendly if I omitted the wine. The blogger mentioned the sauce being particularly thin, so I thought omitting the wine without replacing it would help.
The sauce was still thin — I'll probably cut the water to 1 cup, and put the wine back in next time. But the meal was flavorful, even a tad spicy. I love the combination of chicken, broccoli and pasta, and this one-pot dish makes for an easy weeknight meal.
Skillet Penne with Chicken and Broccoli
Slightly adapted from A Taste of Home Cooking
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced thin
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped fine
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 ½ cups water
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 8 ounces penne
- 8 ounces coarsely chopped broccoli florets (thawed if frozen)
- 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated, plus extra for serving
- Pat the chicken with paper towel to dry, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat, and saute the chicken until beginning to brown (about 2 minutes on the first side, then a minute on the second side), until almost cooked through. Transfer to a plate, and tent with foil to keep warm.
- Reduce the heat under the skillet to medium, and add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add the onion and ½ teaspoon of salt to the skillet. Cook about 5 to 7 minutes, until the onions are soft.
- Add the garlic, red pepper flakes and oregano to the skillet, and stir for about 30 seconds.
- Stir in the water, chicken broth, and penne. Increase the heat to medium-high, and bring the liquid to a simmer. Cook, stirring often, until the pasta is tender but still firm, about 10 minutes.
- Add the broccoli and chicken to the skillet, and cook until penne is al dente, chicken is cooked through and sauce starts to thicken, about another 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in Parmesan cheese, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
The Home Cook
Monday 10th of September 2012
I don't know why the sauce in this one is so thin but in another, very similar recipe also from ATK, the sauce is perfect.
http://tasteofhomecooking.blogspot.com/2007/12/skillet-chicken-broccoli-ziti.html
DNCWWO
Monday 10th of September 2012
Thanks! I'll try that one next.