Adobo chicken Breasts with Poblano Angel Hair

Read this all the way through beforehand so you get the big picture.

The spaghetti and chicken breasts are really two separate items I combined together.  You can do each on their own.

The chicken, poblano sauce starter and the roasted poblanos can be done a day ahead if needed.  

You an probably make, assemble, and refrigerate the whole thing for baking the next day. Baking will take longer.  350 for 45 min to an hour is a rough guess.  To make the chicken easier to reheat, slice into strips.

If you are making this all on the same day, plan for 2-3 hours, just so you have some time to work with.  

At any point you can boil 1/2 lb of pasta rinse in cold water and set aside. A whole box was a bit too much. I used angel hair.

I boiled the sauce peppers and roasted the "garnish " peppers at the same time.  took roughly 30 min.

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Chicken.

Ingredients:

• As many chicken breasts as you need. I did six because my pan was large enough. Make as many as you like.  You can always eat them later with other sides etc.
• 1 pint of buttermilk.
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Adobo seasoning or any other combination of seasoning to get a Mexican or Spanish flavor.

Trim off the extra fat from each chicken breast and place into a gallon sized ziplock bag. Pour the buttermilk into the bag and seal.  Let the buttermilk tenderize the chicken in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. 24 hours is best.

Rinse off the buttermilk. Place chicken on a baking sheet and season both sides with salt, pepper, and Adobo seasoning. 

When ready to bake them, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place them in a sided glass dish and bake for 15 on each side and or they reach at least 165 degrees internal temperature.

When done, let them rest.  They will be re-heated later on in the oven.

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The poblano sauce starter. 

Ingredients

• 3 poblano peppers, seeded, membranes removed, and cut in half or into quarters. These are going to be boiled so large pieces are ok.
• 2 tbsp chicken bouillon
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 tsp black pepper.

Boil on high for 30 minutes or until soft. Once soft, place into blender with 3/4 cup milk, 2 tbsp chicken bouillon and a teaspoon of black pepper. Blend until smooth and set aside.

Finishing the sauce(same day or next day)

• 2 tbps butter
• 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1/2 block of plain cream cheese.
• 1/2 cup shredded mexican/taco blend cheese

On Medium heat, melt the butter and cook the onion for about 5 min or until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds to a minute.  Don't let it or the onions burn.  

Add the green sauce and bring to boil. Reduce heat
Add more chicken bouillon salt and pepper to taste.

Add sour cream, cream cheese and shredded cheese, letting each  mix in and melt before adding the next cheese.

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Roasting poblanos

Ingredients

• 2-3 poblano peppers.
• olive oil.

I roasted them whole under a broiler.

Place an oven rack in the top level or one level down. Which ever feels less dangerous.

Coat the peppers with olive oil. Place them on a parchment or foil lined baking sheet with sides, to catch any juices/oil.  Check on them every 5 min and turn them until all sides are blistered. This took me about 30 min.

After they are roasted, place them into a plastic bag, sealed, for 30 min. The Steam will loosen the skin and make it easier to remove. They will also be cool enough to handle at that point.  I didn't char the peppers. I did get them good and blistered though.

Seed them and remove any membrane that may still be in tact. Cut them into small strips and set aside.

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Assembly

Ingredients

1/4 cup shredded cheese

1/4 cup chicken broth or water, if needed.

You just need a pan to fit everything and allow for the liberal application of cheese on top.

If you the sauce is too thick, heat it up again and add 1/4 cup chicken broth or water.  I don't like using water because it doesn't add flavor.

Combine the sauce and the pasta with a 1/4 cup of shredded cheese and stir until mixed well and cheese is melted or at least mixed in.

Place pasta mixture into rectangular glass dish. I used a 9x13 one. Place the roasted pepper strips on top of the pasta. cover with as much cheese as you like. Place the chicken breasts on top.  Cover them with cheese and bake at 350 for 30 min or 400 for 15 min. You just need to get everything hot again for serving.

One pot roasted red pepper pasta.

From: http://www.budgetbytes.com/2015/06/one-pot-roasted-red-pepper-pasta/

PREP TIME: 10 mins
COOK TIME: 20 mins
TOTAL TIME: 30 mins

Total Cost: $7.54
Cost Per Serving: $1.26
Serves: 6 (1⅓ cup each)

INGREDIENTS

5 cups vegetable broth $0.60
1 lb. Fettuccine $1.00
1 small Vidalia onion $0.61
4 cloves garlic $0.32
1 12oz. jar roasted red peppers $2.49
1 15oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes $1.29
½ Tbsp dried basil $0.07
¼ tsp crushed red pepper (optional) $0.03
Freshly cracked black pepper $0.05
4 oz. cream cheese (optional) $1.08

INSTRUCTIONS

Thinly slice the onion and mince the garlic. Remove the red peppers from the liquid in the jar and then slice them into thin strips.

In a large pot, combine the broth, onion, garlic, red pepper slices, diced tomatoes (with juice), basil, crushed red pepper, and some freshly cracked black pepper (10-15 cranks of a pepper mill). Stir these ingredients to combine. Break the fettuccine in half, then add it to the pot, attempting to submerge the pieces as much as possible.
Place a lid on the pot and turn the heat up to high. As soon as the pot reaches a full boil, give it a quick stir to loosen any pieces that may have stuck to the bottom, return the lid, and turn the heat down to medium-low.

Let the pot simmer on medium low for 10-12 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom. Return the lid as quickly as possible after each stir. After ten minutes, test the pasta to see if it is al dente. Once the pasta is tender, remove it from the heat. (If the pasta becomes too dry before it is tender, simply add a small amount of water and continue to simmer.)

Divide the cream cheese into tablespoon sized pieces, then add them to the pot. Stir the pasta until the cheese melts in and creates a smooth sauce (it will look lumpy at first, just keep stirring). Serve hot.

NOTES
Breaking the pasta in half helps the larger pieces of tomato and pepper stir in evenly with the pasta. It also helps allow the pasta to be submerged under the broth.

Simple One­Skillet Chicken Alfredo Pasta

From: www.splendidtable.com

by Katie Workman
Todd Coleman

From Dinner Solved! by Katie Workman, Workman Publishing Company 2015.

Note: What does rigate mean? Ridges. And those ridges are what lets the pasta grab onto that

sauce.

• 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• Kosher or coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 4 cups chicken broth, preferably low ­sodium
• 1 package (1 pound) penne rigate or ziti
• 1 1/2 cups heavy (whipping) cream or half-and-­half, warmed
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat ­leaf parsley (optional)

1. Cut the chicken breasts into 1 ­inch pieces. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Melt the butter in a very large skillet over medium­high heat. Add the chicken, in batches if necessary, and sauté until nicely browned on the outside, but still a bit pink inside, about 4 minutes (the pieces don’t have to be browned on all sides; two sides is fine). Remove the chicken and set aside on a plate.

3. Do not clean the pan! Those brown bits on the bottom of the pan are going to add flavor to the sauce. Add the garlic to the pan and sauté over medium heat until you can smell it, 30 seconds. Turn the heat to high, add the chicken broth, and scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen up all of those delicious caramelized bits. Bring to a simmer, lower to medium heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the pasta, stir well, and simmer until the pasta starts to soften, about 8 minutes. Stir in the warm cream and the browned chicken with any juices that have accumulated on the plate. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender, most of the liquid has been absorbed, and the chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes more.

4. Stir in the Parmesan until well incorporated, and adjust the seasonings.

5. You can continue with Step 6 or see the Fork in the Road for add­in suggestions.

6. Transfer the mixture to a serving bowl and sprinkle with the parsley, if desired. Serve hot and pass extra Parmesan at the table.

Alfredo Add­-Ins:

When you add the Parmesan in Step 4, you can add any of the following to the pot, alone or in combination; stir over medium heat for another minute or two.

• 1 cup slivered sun ­dried tomatoes or 1/4 cup sun­ dried tomato pesto
• 1 tablespoon pureed chipotles in adobo sauce
• 4 cups sliced mushrooms, sautéed
• 3 cups lightly cooked tiny broccoli florets
• 2 tablespoons fresh herbs, such as oregano, thyme, or parsley

Or, you can serve up portions of Chicken Alfredo Pasta for those who like it plain and simple, and add proportionate amounts of any of the add­-ins to the pot.

Pasta With Hearty Lentil and Spinach Sauce

Serves 6

8 to 10 ounces rotini, miniature penne or other short, chunky pasta
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil or 3 tablespoons vegetable broth or water
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
1 to 1-1/2 cups sliced white or cremini mushrooms (optional)
One 28-ounce jar good-quality marinara sauce (see Note)
One 14- to 16-ounce can diced tomatoes undrained, or 2 cups diced ripe fresh tomatoes
3 to 3-1/2 cups cooked or two 15- to 16-ounce cans (drained and rinsed) brown lentils (see Note)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika
6 to 8 ounces baby spinach, rinsed well
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley or sliced fresh basil, or more to taste
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Crushed red pepper flakes to taste (optional)

Directions:

1. Cook the pasta in plenty of steadily boiling water in a large pot until al dente, then drain.

2. Meanwhile, heat the oil, broth or water in a medium skillet. Add the onion and sauté over medium-low heat until translucent. Add the garlic, bell pepper, and mushrooms, if desired, and continue to sauté until the onion is golden and the bell pepper is tender.

3. Return the cooked pasta to the large pot and stir in the marinara sauce, diced tomatoes, lentils, oregano and paprika along with the vegetable mixture in the skillet. Simmer gently over medium-low heat for 5 to 8 minutes, or until everything is well heated through.

4. Add the spinach, about half at a time, cover, then stir in once it's wilted.

5. Stir in the parsley or basil and season with salt and pepper. If you'd like a little heat, add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. Serve at once.

Note: Using canned lentils makes this a breeze, but when you aren't in a hurry, by all means use home-cooked lentils. For this recipe, use 1 cup dried lentils. Rinse and sort them and combine them in a saucepan with 2 cups water. Bring to a rapid simmer, then lower the heat and simmer gently, covered, for 30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender and still hold their shape. Drain any excess water. This step can be done ahead of time. The same goes for the marinara sauce.

Recipe from Plant Power: Transform Your Kitchen, Plate, and Life with More Than 150 Fresh and Flavorful Vegan Recipes by Nava Atlas., published by Harper One, 2014. Photo by Hannah Kaminsky.

From the Family Circle Website

Spicy Soba Noodles

8 oz. dried soba noodles
2.5 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
1 tsp chile-garlic sauce
1 tsp toasted sesame oil.

Pappardelle Pasta & Chicken Sausage

Pappardelle Pasta & Chicken Sausage

From Kraft Magazine's website

prep: 30 min
total: 30 min
servings: 4 servings

What You Need
½ lb.  pappardelle pasta, uncooked
2 cups  broccoli florets
1 Tbsp.  oil
1  lb.  chicken sausage links, cut into 3/4-inch-thick slices
1   red pepper, cut into thin strips, halved crosswise
1  cup  fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
2/3  cup  half-and-half
1  tsp.  dried oregano leaves
1 cup  KRAFT Shredded Italian* Five Cheese with a TOUCH OF PHILADELPHIA
2  Tbsp.  KRAFT Reduced Fat Parmesan Style Grated Topping

Make It

COOK pasta in large saucepan as directed on package, omitting salt and adding broccoli to the boiling water for the last 2 min.

MEANWHILE, heat oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add sausage; cook on medium heat 5 min, stirring occasionally. Add peppers; cook and stir 5 min. or until peppers are crisp-tender and sausage is done.

DRAIN pasta mixture. Add to skillet along with broth, half-and-half and oregano; cook and stir 3 to 5 min. or until sauce is slightly thickened. Top with shredded cheese; cook 1 to 2 min. or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with Parmesan.

Kraft Kitchens Tips:
Special Extra: For more spice, cook sausage with 1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper.

How to Halve Recipe: This recipe can be easily prepared as a two-serving recipe by cutting all ingredients in half.

Note:  While the flavor and consistency of this delicious sauce is best when prepared with half-and-half or whipping cream, it can also be prepared with milk.

Make-Ahead unstuffed Shells

Make-Ahead unstuffed Shells
1 lb extra-lean ground beef
1 Jar (24oz) marinara sauce

Brown meat in large skillet; drain. Stir in marinara sauce; simmer on medium heat 2 min.,stirring frequently. Remove from heat.4 cups medium pasta shells, uncooked.

Cook pasta as directed on package, omitting salt
Drain pasta
1 tub (10oz) Philadelphia original cooking cream
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Mix cooking cream, basil and parmesan in large bowl; stir in pasta. Spread half the meat sauce onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; cover with pasta mixture and remaining sauce.

1-1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese with a touch of Philadelphia

Sprinkle with mozzarella. Cover with foil.

Refrigerate up to 24 hours if needed

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake casserole, 40-45 min. or until heated through, uncovering after 30 min.

Jumbo Stuffed Shells with Beef and Spinach

Exclusively from Costco Wholesale

(serves 4)

• 1 TBSP butter or olive oil
• 2 oz. onion, minced or finely chopped
• Optional: 8 oz. lean ground beef or Italian sausage
• 1 TSP minced garlic
• 4 oz. spinach, chopped
• 1 (15-oz.) container ricotta cheese (whole milk)
• 1/2 TSP oregano (fresh or dried)
• 1/2 TSP basil (fresh or dried)
• 1 egg lightly beaten
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 box (min 10 oz) jumbo shells (cooked al dente only!)
• 1 jar Kirkland signature marinara sauce
• 1 ½ cups grated parmesan or Asiago cheese

Preparation:

In a sauté pan over medium heat, melt butter and sauté onion until translucent.

Add the ground beef, brown 5 to 8 minutes, drain.

Add garlic and spinach, and continue sautéing for 2 more minutes; remove from heat and cool.

In a large mixing bowl, combine ricotta, oregano, basil, and the ground beef mixture with a spatula.

Add the lightly beaten egg, salt and pepper, and continue mixing.

Stuff the filling into the cooked and cooled jumbo shells using a spoon.

Lay the shells side-by-side in a lightly sauced or oiled glass or stoneware baking dish, cover with marinara sauce, top with Parmesan cheese and bake at 350°F for 40 minutes.

Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Pasta Primavera

Pasta Primavera

Makes 6 servings

Prep 20 minutes cook 14 minutes

1/2 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 sweet orange peppers, cored, seeded and cut into 1/4 inch strips
1 pound spaghetti
3/4 cup half-and-half
3/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 cloves garlic, sliced
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
Shaved parmesan, optional

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add asparagus and green beans; cook 4 minutes. Add peppers and cook 1 more minute. Scoop out vegetables with a large slotted spoon and place in colander. Rinse under cold water.

Add pasta to boiling water and cook following package directions, about 9 minutes. Drain and return to pot.

While pasta is cooking, place half-and-half, chicken broth, salt pepper and nutmeg in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add cooked vegetables and tomatoes. Cook, stirring a few times, about 1 minute 30 seconds. Spoon into pasta pot. Stir grated cheese into the half-and-half mixture. Add to pasta an gently stir in parsley until all ingredients are combined. Allow to stand for 5 minutes. Shave parmesan on top, if desired.

Chipotle Chicken Wagon Wheels

Chipotle Chicken Wagon Wheels

Makes 6 servings

prep 15 min cook 12 min

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces.
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 can 14 1/2 oz diced tomatoes, drained
3/4 fat free half-and-half
2 chipotle peppers in adobo, seeded and chopped
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 pound wagon wheel pasta

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and chicken. Cook 5 minutes turning after 3 minutes. Add onion and garlic; cook 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, half-and-half, chipotle and salt. Simmer, uncovered, 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cilantro.

Meanwhile, cook pasta following package direction, about 12 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water.

Toss pasta with sauce. Add reserved water as needed to thin out sauce.