We went to the grocery store without any idea of what we were going to make. After debating between chicken and pork, we ended up with thin cut chicken breasts (I recommend the thin cut for this recipe because it will cook faster). I do not like mushrooms, which makes Blake sad. I refuse to let him order them on our pizza, so today I made an exception and let him pick up a pack. We decided we wanted to make something with pasta and breaded chicken, and we went from there. Your mind probably went straight to Chicken Parmesan, but what fun is that? I can honestly say that we went about this with no plan. We decided half way through making the sauce that we should add cream, and the roasted Garlic that we cooked "just in case" added a wonderful surprise to the dish.
I personally don't think any entree is complete without a dinner salad. Not only is it a great way to begin a meal, but it's also a great way to get vitamins and fill yourself up a bit. One of those yahoo updates one time talked about how eating a dinner salad before your meal will help you eat less. What does this mean??? It means you eat more veggies and less of all that terrible-for-you good stuff. AKA - Less calories. With Spring on it's way, this doesn't sound like too bad of a plan.
INGREDIENTS:
1 Lb. Thin cut chicken breast
1 Large Portabello mushroom- sliced
1 Clove garlic - roasted
1 Lb. Bow-tie noodles
1/4 Cup Bread Crumbs
1/4 Cup Panko
1/4 Cup Dijon Mustard
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1/4 Sweet Onion -diced
1/2 Cup White wine
1/2 Cup Heavy cream
1/4 Cup Grated Parmesan
salt and pepper to taste
1. Begin by pounding the chicken with the flat side of a meat mallet until it is about a quarter inch thick. Generally spread the Dijon mustard on one side of the chicken breasts. Cover with the bread crumb and Panko mixture, pressing it gently so it sticks well.
2. Heat up the Olive Oil in a large pan. When ready place two or three chicken breasts into the pan, bread crumb side down. Let cook for a few minutes or until the bread crumbs turn golden brown. While cooking, salt and pepper the other side of the chicken breasts, turn over, and cook for another minute or two. Drain chicken breasts on paper towel, and save for later.
3. After cooking all of the chicken breasts, add in extra Olive Oil so that you have 1-2 Tablespoons total. Add in the diced onion, mushrooms, and roasted garlic. Let saute for 4-5 minutes on medium heat. Turn the heat up to medium-high, and add in the white wine.
4. When the wine has reduced to half, add in the cream and cook on medium-high. The goal is that the cream also cooks down a bit. Add salt and pepper to taste and 1/4 Cup Parmesan cheese. Continue stirring until sauce is at a consistency you like.
5. While making the sauce, cook up the noodles. Add the noodles straight into the pan with the mushroom sauce. Stir until the noodles are well coated. Pile the pasta onto a serving plate and top with chicken breast.
**** Tasty Tip: If your sauce becomes too thick, add in a tablespoon of pasta water at a time. The sauce will begin to thin out.
BLAKE-O-METER
This recipe received a 9.8!!!!!
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Question 6
Q: What is the hardest thing you've ever experienced
A:
I'm lucky enough to be able to say I haven't had a very hard life. I'm not sure I always recognized this, but as I grow up I realize how wonderful my childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood has been. I have two answers for this I suppose. The first thing that was very hard for me, was when my mother had a medical emergency six years ago. She was/is fine, but it was one of the scariest things I've ever had to go through. I always explain to people that it was an out of body experience. Medical workers walking through the hallways of our home, neighbors asking if we were okay, my father beside himself, but trying to hold it together for me. As a 19 year old you don't prepare yourself for something like that. You don't realize that at any moment a loved one could be taken from you. Instead you live in a "life is great" mentality thinking nothing will ever happen to you. This is, until it does.
We were lucky, my mom was okay. She made a full recovery and had to spend only a week or so in the hospital. That moment made me realize how difficult something like that is and that you should cherish every moment you have with the people you love.
The second, is Graduate School. Hands down this has been the most physically exhausting two years I have ever experienced. Not only do I not know whether my mind is able to take on any more psychological facts, but I so need a break. When we do have a break, we have projects to work on, so there truly is no rest. I can't complain, so many people are going through the same thing, but I had no idea it was going to be so hard. With that said, it is going to be a wonderful experience when I'm done and I'm looking forward to starting up my career.
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