Thursdays Are For Cooking: Good Food

 

This recipe was originally sent in the summer by Betty C’s auto-e-mail service. Well, summer is slowly going down behind the hills to the west of me and I really do expect to see snow on my front steps before Halloween this year. As it is, I view the recipe as a dish that can and should be prepped and served just about any time of year, as a hearty single-dish meal.

There are several advantages to a one-pot dish like this: it’s hearty and filling; it will serve several people and leave room for dessert; the ingredients are simple, and you can substitute something else for spinach; and it uses only one single pot instead of a bunch, so there’s easy clean-up as a bonus.

So here you go: One pot lemon-pepper chicken and pasta.

One-Pot Lemon-Pepper Chicken Pasta  By Betty Crocker Kitchens

 

Prep 45 MIN

Total 50 MIN

Servings  6

This easy one-pot pasta is full of lemon-pepper chicken, spaghetti and fresh baby spinach, and is perfect for a weeknight dinner. Add a green salad and warm crusty bread, and you’re all set!

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces (16 oz)

1 teaspoon lemon pepper

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic

1 carton (32 oz) Progresso™ chicken broth

8 oz spaghetti pasta, broken in half (from 16-oz box) SAVE $

½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon lemon juice and 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel from 1 large lemon

2 bags (5 oz each) baby spinach

 Steps

• 1 In 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Season chicken with lemon pepper, salt and black pepper. Cook chicken in oil 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink. Remove chicken to plate; cover and keep warm.
• 2 Add garlic to Dutch oven; cook 30 to 60 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned. Add chicken broth and spaghetti; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium; simmer uncovered 13 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of liquid is absorbed and pasta is al dente.
• 3 Stir in 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, the butter, lemon juice, lemon peel and cooked chicken. Remove from heat. Gradually add spinach; stir just until starting to wilt. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm with remaining 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese.

Expert Tips

• Due to the bulkiness of the spinach, it’s helpful to add it to pasta in small batches.
• If you prefer more peppery flavor, increase black pepper from 1/4 teaspoon to 1/2 teaspoon

 

Category: Cooking, Economy