Broken Pasta in a Chicken Florentine Sauce

The sauce on this pasta dish is very mellow and light. Creamy. It allows the flavor of spinach, peas, and the chicken to shine through. I hope you like it.

1 pound of long pasta, broken into pieces (I used Bucati)

1-3/4 pounds chicken breasts, cubed

3tbs + 1 tbs olive oil

2 tsp butter

1 tsp +1tsp lemon juice

1/2 dried Italian seasoning

2 cloves minced garlic, divided

1 tsp flour

pinch of red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp salt

a good dash of pepper

2 c cream or milk (I used a combo of fat free half-n- half and low-fat milk)

1 c shredded white cheddar cheese

1/2 c finely grated Parmesan cheese

1-10 oz box of chopped frozen spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry

1 c frozen peas

salt and pepper to taste

In a bowl, add 3 tbs olive oil, 1 tsp lemon juice, Italian seasoning, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 clove minced

garlic, and hefty dash of pepper. Whisk well to combine. Toss the chicken into the marinade and set aside for at 15 minutes (if you're going longer, cover the chicken and put in the in refrigerator).

Fill a large stock with water and bring to boil for pasta. Heat a large skillet over medium high high and add your chicken. Cook chicken until browned and juices run clear (or 170 degrees) about 7-10 minutes, depending on chunk size. Drain on a paper towel. Set aside.

When water for pasts is boiling, add a good bit of salt and pasta. Cook according to manufacturer's instruction.

While pasts cooks, return skillet to the stove. Lower the heat to medium. Add 1 tbs olive oil and 2 tsp butter. When the butters almost melted add the remaining minced garlic and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Saute until garlic is soft, about 1 minute. Add 1 tsp lemon juice and mix in to combine. Add 1tsp of flour and cook for 30 seconds. Add 2 cups of cream, or milk. Stir to mix in flour. Allow this to come up to heat. Do not boil. Once the sauce is heated (steam will be coming off the top), add in your chicken, spinach, and peas. Cook for 3 minutes, until peas are heated through and chicken is warmed up. Add the cheeses and stir until melted. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper to your liking.

Toss with drained pasta.

Serves 5-7

TIP: To defrost the spinach, microwave for 2 minutes. Then place the spinach in the clean dish towel and trist the ends in opposite directions until you've squeezed out as much water as possible. This could be a good job for little hands!

Apricot Glazed Chicken Breasts

Recently, I picked up my mother for the evening (she doesn't drive). It was just a night to "hang out" together. For dinner I reached for my go-to item, chicken! I wasn't sure what to do with it though. I had just a bit of apricot preserves left in the jar, so .....

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 1 to 1-1/4 pounds

2 tbs apricot preserves

1 tbs olive oil

1 tbs water

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp ground poultry seasoning

pinch, or two, of salt (taste your glaze after combining to determine the amount of salt)

Heat your grill, or grill pan, over medium heat. I used a non-stick grill pan, sprayed with cooking spray for a little added reassurance. As you can tell by my picture, I'm still mastering the art of cooking with it. Eh, no one's perfect!


In a gallon sized storage bag combine all your ingredients, except the chicken. Push the air out and seal. Squish the bag around until everything is nicely combined. Add your chicken breasts, and, again, squish around until the chicken is completely coated with the glaze.


Cook over medium heat for 5-8 minutes. Turn your chicken breasts over and continue to cook until you chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear, approximately another 5-8 minutes.

Move your chicken to a plate, cover with foil and let it stand for at least 5 minutes.

Tip: To test your chicken for doneness, I use this trick as a general guide. Make a tight fist. Touch the fleshy area between your thumb and forefinger. Now touch the chicken (clean hands please). Do they feel the same? If they do, chances are your chicken is done! To be completely sure, your chicken should be 170 degrees fahrenheit.

Chicken with Broccoli

This is not my recipe. I found it on about.com. It originally called for 2 different kinds of soy sauce. I replaced the the dark soy sauce, with low sodium chicken broth (I've attempted Chinese food before and it always came out too salty). It was a huge success with everyone! It sounds more complicated than it actually is! Try it! You'll be pleasantly surprised!

Chicken
3/4-1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 large egg white
1 tbs cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt

Sauce
2 tbs oyster sauce
1 tbs light (low sodium) soy sauce
1 tbs chicken broth
1 tbs water

Broccoli
1 pound broccoli
1/2 c water
1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp granulated sugar, or to taste

Other
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbs water
2 c plus 4 tbs vegetable, or peanut, oil

Cut the chicken into 3/4 to 1-inch cubes. In a bowl, mix together the egg white, cornstarch and salt. Add the egg white mixture to the chicken cubes, tossing or using your fingers to coat the chicken in the mixture. Marinate the chicken in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

While the chicken is marinating, prepare the sauce and vegetables. For the sauce, mix together the oyster sauce, light soy, chicken broth, and water in a small bowl and set aside. In another small bowl, mix the cornstarch and water thickener and set aside.

Wash and drain the broccoli. Cut the stalk diagonally into thin slices. Cut the florets into 3 or 4 pieces. Crush the garlic.

Preheat wok. Heat 2 cups oil in the wok until it reaches 275 degrees. (Test the heat by placing a piece of chicken in the wok - it should float). Add the chicken cubes, and let cook until they just turn white (about 30 seconds), using a wooden spoon or chopsticks to gently separate them. Quickly remove the chicken cubes from the wok as soon as they turn white, and drain in a colander or on paper towels.

Drain the oil out of the wok, or preheat a second wok, on medium high to high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the crushed garlic and stir fry for 10 seconds. Add the broccoli, sprinkle the salt and sugar over, and stir fry briefly, turning down the heat if necessary to make sure it doesn't burn. Add the 1/2 cup water, and cook the broccoli, covered, for 4 - 5 minutes, until it turns a bright green and is tender but still crisp. Remove from the wok and drain.

Clean out the wok and heat 2 more tablespoons oil. Add the broccoli and the chicken, stirring and tossing to cook the chicken through. Add the sauce and cornstarch mixture in the middle of the wok and stir quickly to thicken. Mix everything together and serve hot over rice.

Serves 2-4

NOTE: I do not own a wok. I simply used my cast iron pan to fry the chicken and the largest non-stick skillet I own for the broccoli and mixing the final product.

Chicken Enchiladas

This recipe comes from my middle child, Holly, via Texas. Last summer she made them when she was visiting and I made her send me the recipe when she got home. I confess, I did change a couple things, partly be mistake. I should have waited a week though; she's coming to visit again!!

1 rotisserie chicken, picked clean then shredded into small pieces

1-8 oz bag of Mexican blend shredded cheese

1-14 to 16 oz can of green Enchilada sauce (I used red because I picked it up by mistake)

1 small red onion, finely chopped

1/2 green pepper, finely chopped (my addition)

1 clove minced garlic (my addition also)

2 tbs olive oil (again, my addition)

1-14.5 oz can of petite diced tomatoes with green chilies (I use Ro-tel)

1- 8 count pack of 12 inch tortillas (flour or corn - it's up to you)

2 tbs finely chopped cilantro (I used flat leaf parsley)
1 package of dry enchilada or fajita seasoning mix (if you can't find it, don't fret. I used low sodium taco seasoning mix)

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the onion, green pepper, and garlic to the pan and cook until tender. This will take about 5-8 minutes.

Dump the tomatoes into a large bowl. If you don't like tomatoes, mash them with a potato masher. Add the cooked vegetables and mix. Add the seasoning mix and stir well. I added a small handful of cheese (although the original recipe doesn't call for it) and the shredded chicken and cilantro (or parsley). Mix well. This mixture should be damp, not wet, so add a bit of the enchilada sauce if necessary.

Spray a 9x13 baking pan with non-stick spray. Add enough enchilada sauce to cover the bottom of the baking dish. This should be a very thin layer, not enough sauce to make the enchiladas soggy. Spread about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the chicken mixture on one end of the tortilla and roll tightly. Place in the baking dish seam side down. Sprinkle the tortillas with half the remaining cheese. Cover the tortillas evenly with the enchilada sauce and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the cheese is melted and filling is hot.

Serves 8 (or 4 to 6 if you're really hungry)

NOTE: A friend of mine asked, "why am I dumping everything into a bowl when I already have a saute pan going?" I responded, "beats me?" So, do whatever works for you!

Italian Herb Braised Chicken Breasts

Braising is a trick I use with a lot of meat. Between the liquid and steam, it’s a fast way of cooking meats that doesn’t dry them out.

4 boneless skinless chick breasts
2 tbsp + 2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp dried Italian Seasoning
Pinch of dried Thyme
Pinch of granulated Garlic Powder
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
¾ cup Chicken Broth, or any liquid you wish (I don’t suggest water)

Put 2 tbsp olive oil, the Italian Seasoning, Thyme, Salt and Pepper in a large Ziploc bag. Add the chicken breast to the bag and seal. Shake around until the chicken is well coated. Over medium high heat, heat remaining 2 tbsp olive oil in a heavy skillet until hot but not smoking. Add chicken breast to hot skillet and brown. Don’t move the chicken until it releases by itself from the pan. If you try to flip and it and you have to pull, it’s not ready. Flip and brown the other side of the chicken breasts. Add the broth and cover the pan with a lid and braise untouched for 15-20 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Remove from pan and let rest for at least 5 minutes before cutting. If you wish, drizzle remaining liquid in pan over the chicken after slicing.

Serves 4

NOTE: With chicken or pork, I'll often use apple juice as my liquid.