Jun 03 2009
Smoky Chicken & Cranberry Pasta
My husband and I love to eat out and try new places. A neighbor of ours won a free dinner to a new place in town a couple of years ago and invited us to go along. We enjoyed a pasta dish they had so much that I decided to go home and recreate it. (at the time it wasn’t on their regular menu.)
What ensued was a dish even better than the one they served us.
1 lb penne pasta
2-3 chicken breasts, cooked and then sliced into strips
4 oz of smoked cheese, shredded ( I use Gouda, but any good melting cheese will do)
2 tsbp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 15 1/2 oz can chicken stock
1 pint heavy cream
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts
salt & pepper to taste
Boil pasta until al dente, drain, set aside.
In large saute pan, melt butter and then add flour. Cook until just barely getting some color, about 2 – 3 minutes. We’re making a roux, which is a fat/flour mixture that will help to thicken our sauce.
Add in chicken stock slowly, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. The add the heavy cream, and let simmer for a couple of minutes. You’re really just getting everything heated up. Then add in the shredded cheese, whisk until all melted. Add in the dried cranberries and cook just until they begin to plump up a bit. Take off the heat, add in the drained pasta and sliced chicken, stir to combine.
Garnish with the chopped hazelnuts and enjoy!
Related posts:
I’m fairly certain that my mom, known as Grandmaother round these parts, will be stopping at the grocery store for the ingredients to this on her way home tonight.
YUM.
Looks yummy, although I don’t usually do cranberries.
In the infamous words of Rachel Ray…..”YUM-O!”
Sounds delish! Can’t wait to try it!
Um. Commenting?
Dude, Gouda, butter, heavy cream, and hazelnuts? Not sure how you can go wrong after that. Yum.
my mouth just watered reading this recipe. mmmmm
Will try to comment, since you asked. Wish I could try making that tonight. Yummm.
And yay! Shiny new blog.
The minute my kid wakes up, and I do mean the very MINUTE, I will going to the store so I can make this for dinner tonight.
Sounds delicious! Now if I only had someone to cook it for my family….
This sounds delicious. But dude you totally have to promise to post your potato salad recipe on here. Everyone should have that on their ‘must make’ list this summer.
Oh my goodness that sounds divine! I am def. going to have to make this. WW points be damned!
I can’t wait to try this, avasmommy! Thanks for sharing.
And Meghan, this is a great idea. I just know it will be so much fun!
Ok, this is definitely going on my meal plan next week. Yes, I am a big dork and have a meal plan.
I wish The Man-Thing weren’t so dang fussy! I may just make it anyhow.
Yes, grandmaother likes this one!
What is the secret to ptinting recipes form the website?
I have to admit that some of the ingredients in this don’t spin my wheels but I LOVE that you went home after a great meal and re-created (if not perfected!) the recipe for yourself! Very cool.
That sounds awesome! I am trying that one out on my hubby soon!!
Hubby picked up ingredients last night and we are making this over the weekend. CAN NOT WAIT. Thanks!
Cooked it up last night – SOOOO Good! I could have used a little less pasta or a little more sauce, but overall we loved it and will make it again!
So I made this for my in-laws last night and thought it was really, REALLY good. It’s heavy, so a very crisp, dry green salad is better as a side than the crusty bread that I made. But VERY good. (I’d never made a cream sauce before!)
[...] I cook dishes that contain cranberries. [...]