Monday, February 18, 2008

Herbed Chicken with Asparagus and Bowties


I had some chicken cutlets and asparagus that really needed to be used up, so I threw together this quick and healthy pasta dish for Mr Wonderful and I. It's super-simple but quite tasty. If you can't find pencil-thin asparagus, you can use thicker stalks, but add them earlier in the cooking process, or steam them for a few minutes before adding to the pan.

Herbed Chicken with Bowties
3 Tbsp EVOO, divided
1/2 onion, diced
2 thin-sliced chicken breasts (cutlets), sliced into 1" strips
1 1/2 Tbsp mixed herb rub (the one I used came via my wine club; it's a mix of dries garlic, onion, rosemary, thyme, sea salt, pepper...and probably some other stuff too)
1/2 bunch very thin asparagus spears, tough ends removed, sliced into 2" pieces
1/2 lb (half a box) bowtie pasta, cooked according to package directions
1/4 c chopped fresh parsley

Heat 2 Tbsp of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the onions for about 5-6 minutes, until they've softened and become translucent. Add the chicken strips and season with the herb rub (or any mix of herbs & spices that sounds good to you - be sure to use salt & pepper if your mix doesn't contain it already). Once the chicken is no longer showing any pink (it will still be slightly undercooked), throw in the asparagus spears and cover the pan. Cook for about 2-3 minutes, until the asparagus is tender but still has a little "bite." Toss the cooked pasta into the skillet and stir everything together with the last Tbsp of olive oil. Top with the parsley and serve immediately, to rave reviews. You don't need to tell everyone that it only took you about 10 minutes to make. :)

No comments: