Tag: pasta

Chicken and Broccoli Pasta in Cream Sauce

As I have mentioned before, we usually do pasta on Saturday or Sunday, every week. This weekend, with the holiday, we decided to do our pasta on Monday in stead. Chicken and Broccoli Pasta in Cream Sauce, with sundried tomatoes, is what I decided on.

I had half of an onion left from yesterday’s frittata, so I started by chopping it finely. I also went ahead and chopped the sundried tomatoes.

I sprayed a little bit of avocado spray into a large skillet. The onions and garlic were added and cooked until the onions were translucent.

The next step was to add the chicken to the pan.

At this time, I also added the umami seasoning (if you haven’t tried this seasoning, why not?? It is delicious! The only I use, I get from Trader Joe’s).

Once the chicken was cooked through, I added the chicken stock and brought it to a boil. Then added the bag of frozen broccoli and sundried tomatoes. I covered the pan allowing the broccoli to fully thaw out.

Once the broccoli was warmed through, I added the cream, salt and pepper and brought it up to a low boil. I added in part of the cheese at this time and stirred.

Finally, I added the pasta to the skillet and mixed it through – added the remaining parmesean cheese.

The only step left is to serve and enjoy!

Chicken and Broccoli Pasta with Cream Sauce

1 box penne pasta
2 chicken breasts, cubed
Cooking spray (I use avocado oil)
12 oz bag frozen broccoli
2 tbsp sundried tomatores, chopped
1 tbsp garlic
1/2 onion
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup chicken stock
1 tbsp umami seasoning
Salt and Pepper, to taste
1/2 cup grated parmesean cheese

  • Boil pasta as directed, until al dente
  • Finely chop onion
  • Chop sundried tomatoes
  • In lightly sprayed / oiled pan, cook onions and garlic until onions are translucent
  • Add chicken and umami seasoning to pan and cook until chicken is done
  • Add chicken stock, sundried tomatoes and broccoli to pan, bring up heat.
  • Once brocolli is no longer frozen, add in cream, salt and pepper (I use 1/2 tsp each) and bring temperature to a low boil.
  • Add al dente pasta to skillet and mix.
  • Add parmesean cheese and serve
by Michelle

Roasted Red Pepper and Chicken Pasta

Almost every weekend, I make pasta – sometimes on Saturdays and sometimes on Sundays. This week, I did it on Sunday.

I was running low on the vegetables that I regularly put in my pasta – asparagus and mushrooms are common vegetables. But, I did have a jar of roasted red peppers in the cabinet – and that’s where it started!

Almost every dish I make (particularly pasta dishes) start with onion and garlic. For this dish, I added in a few other items: Italian panko bread crumbs, fresh basil, Parmesan cheese – to name a few.

Melt the butter in a large skillet and then cook the onions and garlic, until the onions are translucent. For the protein, I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into cubes. I added the chicken and cooked until the chicken was done (amount of time will depend on how small you cut the chicken). Add salt, pepper and umami seasoning at this point.

After rough chopping the red peppers (if not already chopped – the jar I had was pretty much whole peppers), add them to the pan (along with the juice from the jar) and warm through (about 5 min). ** note – I used a 12 oz jar of peppers, but when I make this again, I will use a larger jar.

Once the peppers are warmed through, add the heavy cream and half of the Parmesan cheese to the mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cover. Cook for 10-15 min.

Add pasta to boiling water and cook per directions. I used bow tie pasta, but I think most any pasta would work well with this sauce.

After pasta is done (al dente), drain and add Pasta to skillet. Add remaining Parmesan cheese and stir – sauce will thicken as you let it simmer for the next few minutes.

Garnish with Italian panko bread crumbs and chopped basil and ENJOY!

Roasted Red Pepper and Chicken Pasta

Box of bowtie pasta
1/2 onion (diced)
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp butter
1 jar roasted red peppers
1/3 cup heavy cream
2/3 cup Parmesean cheese
1 tsp Umami seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
fresh basil
Italian Panko bread crumbs

  • Melt butter in large skillet
  • Add onion and garlic to melted butter
  • Cook onion and garlic until onions are translucent
  • Boil pasta, per directions – to al dente
  • Rough chop the roasted red peppers (if not already diced) and add to skillet (along with juice from jar) and allow to warm through (about 5 min)
  • Once peppers are warmed though, add heavy cream and 1/2 the parmesean cheese to skillet.
  • Bring to boil – then reduce heat to simmer and cover.
  • Cook for 10 – 15 minutes
  • Add drained, al dente pasta to skillet
  • Add remaining parmesean cheese and stir (sauce will thicken as it simmers for a few minutes)
  • Garnish with chopped basil and panko bread crumbs
by Michelle

Welcome to Michelle Cooks – I’m happy you’re here!

“There is no love sincerer than the love of food.” 
― George Bernard Shaw, Man and Superman

My name is Michelle and I love to cook. I love the process of creating new recipes and just ‘throwing things together’ and hoping for the best. I have some hits and misses – but, I love the process, none the less – and even the misses often lead to new ideas.

I love all food, truly – but, I do have some favorites. I love pasta, one pot/skillet meals, crock pot meals and anything that reheats well (I love leftovers!).

I plan to share my hits and my misses – in the hopes that others are inspired to be creative in the kitchen!

by Michelle