I called home at lunch, today, and, as per usual, we talked about dinner. It’s usually a take something out of the freezer, or what did you have in mind… There was already a big package of chicken in the ‘fridge that I needed to vacuum-pack and freeze when I got home, and fresh asparagus I had picked up the day before. I didn’t have a concrete plan, but kinda thought about making a stuffed chicken breast. I mentioned ingredients to Victor and he said dinner was ready and he would take care of it!
Mama didn’t raise no fool. Victor says he’s cooking and I’m eating. I had no idea what he was planning, but it didn’t matter.
What he ended up creating was heaven on a plate! It’s fun how when someone else cooks, the food is infinitely better than if you had made it, yourself! This dish hit every one of my taste-bud pleasure zones!
Orecchiette with Chicken and Asparagus
- 1 large chicken breast, cubed
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup half and half
- 1/2 cup cream cheese
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan
- 1 bunch asparagus
- 8 oz orecchiette pasta
- red pepper flakes
- fresh basil
- oregano
- garlic powder
- salt & pepper
Cut up chicken and lightly saute in a bit of olive oil. Add chicken broth, half and half, and cream cheese and cook, stirring, until sauce begins to reduce.
Add the basil, oregano, red pepper, garlic powder, and S&P, to taste.
Meanwhile, cook orecchiette. Halfway through, add the cut up asparagus and cook both together, until done.
Drain, and stir into sauce. Let it all simmer together for a minute or two. Remove from heat and stir in grated cheese.
Check for seasoning and add more S&P, crushed red pepper, or herbs, as desired.
Rich and creamy without being too rich and creamy! The cream cheese added silkiness to the sauce. The fresh parmesan added oomph. The red pepper a bit of zing…
And a simple fork made it really easy to eat.
As my sister, Eileen, would say… My stomach is smiling!