Creamy Parmesan Pasta with Chicken & Mushrooms ~ #SundaySupper #SauteExpress

January 27, 2013 By 47 Comments

This week I have the pleasure of working with Land O Lakes® to create a simple dish full of flavor using their new Sauté Express® Sauté Starter kits for #SundaySupper.

What’s a Sauté Express® Sauté Starter kit? I’m glad you asked. I like to call it convenience in a packet. It combines everything you need to start whipping up dinner in a flash:  olive oil, butter, herbs, spices, and garlic. It’s a one stop trip to flavor town.

Land O Lakes® understands that life can get a bit hectic, so they took the busy chef into consideration when they created their new Sauté Express® Sauté Starter kits. Late meeting at work? After-school activities with the kids? Gym? No worries, Land O Lakes® has you covered.

I’m all too familiar with how busy life can get; I work a full-time job, go to school, run a blog, and go to the gym every week. My active schedule requires simple, no-fuss meals during the week. Simple doesn’t have to mean flavorless, which is where Land O Lakes® comes in. They’re Sauté Express® Sauté Starter kits are full of fresh flavors just waiting to enhance your weeknight meals.

The Sauté Express® Sauté Starter kit comes in four delicious flavors:

My favorite go-to ingredient for simple weeknight meals is pasta. It’s quick and extremely versatile. I decided to make a creamy parmesan pasta with chicken and mushrooms that only takes 30-minutes from start to finish.

I decided to use the garlic and herb kit for this recipe. It added a huge boost of flavor and complemented my sauce perfectly. As soon as you unwrap the butter packet, you’re instantly hit with the aromas of fresh garlic and chopped herbs.

This pasta is so GOOD! The creamy sauce is full of fresh parmesan, sun dried tomatoes, garlic, fresh basil, hearty chunks of moist chicken, and sliced mushrooms.

I love that this dish can be prepared in less than 30-minutes; it’s perfect for the busy chef. This may be a quick, weeknight meal, but it doesn’t lack in the flavor department. You get all the flavor from this dish as you would a slow-cooked, gourmet meal.

Enjoy!

Want to try the Sauté Express® Sauté Starter kit? I’m giving away one coupon good for one starter kit worth up to $3.99.

Required Entry:  Leave a comment telling me what you would make with the Sauté Express® Sauté Starter kit.

Additional Entries:

Like The Messy Baker on Facebook
Follow The Messy Baker on Twitter
Follow The Messy Baker on Pinterest
Like Land O Lakes on Facebook
Follow Land O Lakes on Twitter
Follow Land O Lakes on Pinterest

That’s 7 chances to win! Make sure you leave separate comments for each entry.

This giveaway is for one coupon for a free Sauté Express® Sauté Starter kit. The giveaway is open to US residents only and will run from Sunday, January 27th  to 6:00 p.m. EST on Thursday, January 31st. The winner will be chosen by random draw. I will notify the winner by email and they will have two days to respond before another winner is chosen.  

Sauté Express® Chicken Recipes:

Chicken Florentine Pasta by Supper for a Steal

Creamy Lemon-Chicken w/ Artichokes by girlichef

Chicken Parm Tenders over Spinach & Orzo by Momma’s Meals

Sizzling Chicken and Green Bean Stir-Fry with Almond Cilantro Rice by Mama.Mommy.Mom

Garlic and Herb Chicken Fettuccine by in the Kitchen with KP

Italian Chicken Pasta Wrap by Big Bears Wife

Creamy Parmesan Pasta with Chicken & Mushrooms by The Messy Baker

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas by That Skinny Chick can bake

Shells with Chicken and Pancetta by The Foodie Armie Wife

Capellini Pomodoro with Italian Herb Chicken by Mom’s Test Kitchen

Garlic and Herb Chicken Pasta Toss by Ruffles & Truffles

Sauté Express® Fish and Seafood Recipes:

Easy Cajun Shrimp Pilaf by Daily Dish Recipes

Crabmeat stuffed Flounder Roulades by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen

Scallops with Ginger-Lemongrass Buerre Noisette by Kimchi Mom

Herb Lemon Butter Tilapia with Sauted Veggies by Crispy Bits and Burnt Ends

Blackened Tilapia Po’ Boys by Juanita’s Cocina

Tomato-Basil Shrimp with Orzo and Feta by The Weekend Gourmet

Sauté Express® Ham and Pork Recipes:

Ham and Vegetable Frittata by Magnolia Days

Savory Butter and Olive Oil Pork Chops by In the Kitchen with Audrey

Skillet Lemon Pepper Pork and Orzo by Family Foodie

5.0 from 2 reviews

Print
Creamy Parmesan Pasta with Chicken & Mushrooms
Author: 
Recipe type: Pasta
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 4
 

Ingredients
  • 8 oz. spaghetti
  • 2 cups cooked chicken, cubed
  • 1 Land O Lakes® garlic & herb Saute Express square
  • 1½ cups portobello mushrooms, sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
  • ¼ cup chicken stock
  • 1½ cups half & half
  • ½ cup reserved pasta water
  • ¾ cup parmesan cheese
  • ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
  • 1 tbs. lemon juice

Instructions
  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Generously salt the water and add the dried spaghetti. Cook until al dente, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water. Drain and set aside.
  2. In a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, add one garlic & herb Sauté Express square. Add the mushrooms and brown. Add the garlic and sauté until tender, about 2 minutes. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and cook for 1 minute.
  3. Add chicken stock and reduce slightly. Turn down the heat to medium-low and add the half & half, bring to a gentle boil and allow to reduce slightly, about 2 minutes. Stir in the reserved pasta water, lemon juice, parmesan cheese, and chicken, cook for 1 minute. Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper to taste.
  4. Stir in the cooked pasta and chopped basil. Transfer the pasta to a serving dish. Top with extra parmesan cheese. Serve.

We have a special Pinterest Board to Showcase #WeekdaySupper with Sauté Express® Sauté Starter we will feature a new recipe every day for the next month.

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter each Sunday. We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET and you do not want to miss out on the fun. Follow the#SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here → Sunday Supper Movement.

Disclosure: The author received a full-value coupon redeemable for Sauté Express® Sauté Starter for recipe development and review purposes. All opinions are my own.

Filed Under: Chicken, Pasta, Savory Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

One Pot Cheesy Salsa & Chicken Pasta

July 25, 2012 By 19 Comments

I’m participating in the Run for your Lives Zombie 5k in October and started training for it on Sunday. I thought I was going to die on Sunday after my 2 1/2 mile walk/run. This body isn’t familiar with the word exercise, and it totally took a beating on Sunday. My face was red, I was out of breath, my feet and legs were throbbing, and I felt a little nauseous. Not good. Not good at all. My brain was reprimanding me, “Why did you stop exercising? Look what it has caused you.” Stupid brain. I know! Hush, now!

After 3 days of running, I’m finally getting back into my groove. My running intervals are beginning to out weight my walking intervals, which I’m taking that as a good sign. I purchased myself a new pair of Brooks running shoes that were custom fit to my feet at Charm City Run. They actually watch you run and custom fit you with the proper shoes. How cool! I tend to fall heavy on my heal, so they fit me with a shoe to balance the way my feet hit the ground when I run. They’re bright, verging on neon, purple. At least I won’t get run over if I’m running in the dark.

I also needed some new running clothes, so I went out and purchased some brightly colored gear. Hey, I never pass an opportunity to shop. What can I say. This gal loves to shop. I even bought myself a Camelbak so I don’t have to run with my water in my hands. It’s super annoying to have to hold a heavy water bottle while you’re trying to focus on jogging (and for me, not falling over).

Whew, those are some brightly colored shoes. I’m also hoping to run off the seven consecutive days of ice cream . I may have over indulged a little a lot!

I decided to fill by body with some nutritional meals and snacks for a change. You know, fruits, veggies, whole grains. All of the things that my body isn’t used to. I’m hoping it won’t reject my new diet. Fingers crossed!

I know what you’re thinking, “But Jennie, what about all of the baked goods and yummies?” Don’t worry, I’m still going to be bringing you things like donuts and cupcakes. I would never be so cruel as to cut you off cold turkey. That’s just mean. Just because I’m running doesn’t mean I’m not going indulge in a piece of cake. Besides, isn’t there a rule that states exercising cancels out eating a piece of cake? You know, even Steven. The rule of physics or something? Either way, I like that rule, and I’m sticking with it. Point is, there will still be cake! Does that make you feel a wee bit better?

Today I made you a recipe inspired by Jessica at A Kitchen Addiction. She made a creamy salsa pasta that I tweaked to my taste. It’s delicious and good for you.

I used a double roasted salsa from Trader Joe’s in this dish. It added a nice smokey flavor to the pasta. If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s in your area, feel free to use a fire roasted salsa.

I added lots of fresh veggies. The red pepper and corn added a touch of sweetness, while the jalapeño and green pepper added some spice.

I also added big chunks of cubed chicken breasts to the pasta. Here’s a handy little kitchen tip for the busy cook. Place a few chicken breasts in a crock pot and add a 1/2 cup of chicken stock, salt, and pepper. Cook on low for 5 hours. Cool the chicken. Either shred or cube the breasts. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use. It speeds up the meal making process and creates an extremely tender piece of chicken.

This dish is full of healthy veggies, tender pieces of chicken, gooey cheddar cheese, and protein packed black beans. If you love a spicy dish, you’re going to love this meal.

Since this dish is healthy, I indulged in two helpings.

 

One Pot Cheesy Salsa & Chicken Pasta

1/2 lb penne pasta
2 tbs. olive oil
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
1/2 cup red pepper, chopped
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
1 jalapeño, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1-12 oz. jar fire roasted salsa
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 cups shredded or cubed cooked chicken
1 cup corn
1-14 oz. can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. coriander
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
2 tbs. light sour cream
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
salt and pepper

Cook pasta according to package instructions, reserving 1/2 a cup of the pasta water. Drain and cover until ready to use.

While the pasta is cooking, heat oil in a large sauté pan. Add the red pepper, green pepper, jalapeño, red onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté until onion is translucent. Add the salsa, chicken stock, chicken, corn, black beans, cumin, coriander, and cayenne pepper. Cook for about 3 minutes, long enough to heat the chicken and corn. Add the pasta water and stir to combine. If the sauce is too thick, feel free to add a touch more chicken stock to loosen the sauce. Add the sour cream and stir to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Gently fold in the pasta and the cheese. Take off the heat and let stand for about 5 minutes to allow the pasta to soak up the sauce.

 

Filed Under: Pasta Tagged With: , , ,

Simple #SundaySupper Chicken Parmesan

April 22, 2012 By 24 Comments

Happy Sunday! You know what Sunday means. That’s right, it means it’s time for #SundaySupper. My friend Isabel over at Family Foodie is on a mission to bring back Sunday supper around the family table. I believe in Isabel’s mission whole heartedly. It’s important to slow down and enjoy the little things in life. My family means the world to me. They keep me going through tough times and inspire me to be my best. I don’t know where I would be if it I didn’t have my family to back me up.

I made a simple chicken parmesan for Sunday supper. Today wasn’t the best day to take pictures because of the dreary, rainy weather, but I made it work. As soon as I was finished taking pictures, I turn around to my husband waiting, bowl in hand, for his share of the chicken parmesan. Chicken parmesan happens to be one of his favorite meals. He gets excited when it shows up on the menu.

I made my simple homemade marinara sauce for this meal, but you can just as easily open up your favorite jar of marinara to make it even easier. I make a ton of marinara, separate it into freezer bags, and store it in the freezer for later use. It really comes in handy, and it’s very economical. Plus, it’s tastier than its jarred counterpart.

Make sure you check out some of the other Easy #SundaySupper meals that my fellow foodie friends have cooking up in their kitchens:

Spaghetti and Meat Sauce by Renee from Magnolia Days

Caprese Pasta by Jen from Juanita’s Cocina 

Chicken Popovers by Pam from The Meltaways 

Spicy Bacon Burgers by Lane from Supper for a Steal

Caprese Grilled Cheese by Liz from That Skinny Chick Can Bake

Simple Ollive Oil Pasta by Carla from Chocolate Moosey 

Nutella Cream Cheese Chocolate Cake by Anuradna from Baker Street 

Soothing Papaya Ginger Lemon Smoothie by Sunithi from Sue’s Nutrition Buzz

Mini Peanut Butter and Chocolate Trifles by Angie from Big Bears Wife

Mediterranean Marinated Lamb Chops with Spaghetti alla Carbonara by Rashmi from The Primlani Kitchen

 

I love chicken parmesan because it’s a rustic and hearty meal. It’s guaranteed to satisfy your guests. Plus, you can place the pasta and the chicken in a large serving bowl, set it in the center of your table, and let your guests serve themselves. Trust me, you’ll have a swarm of people fighting over who gets served first.

Add a fresh garden salad, and you have yourself the perfect #SundaySupper meal to enjoy with your loved ones.

Happy eating!

Marinara:

1 green pepper, diced

1 medium onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

2- 28oz. cans crushed tomatoes

1 1/2 tbs. sugar

1 tsp. italian seasoning

1/2 tsp. dried basil (2 tbs. fresh basil)

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

In a large sauce pan, heat 2 tbs. of olive oil over medium heat. Add onions, green pepper, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Cook until veggies are tender, about 3 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, italian seasoning, basil, salt, and pepper. Turn the heat down to low and cover. Cook for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Use an immersion blender to blend the marinara until smooth. If you like chunky marinara, skip the previous step. Add the parmesan cheese and stir to combine.

Chicken:

6 chicken breasts

2 cups bread crumbs (I used the italian-style variety)

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

2 tsp. onion powder

2 tsp. garlic powder

4 eggs

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, or lb. fresh mozzarella, sliced

1 lb. spaghetti

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Pound out the chicken until it’s about a 1/2-inch thick. In a shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. To a second shallow bowl, add eggs and a pinch of salt and pepper, whisk to combine.

In a large pan, add about 3-4 tbs. of olive oil. Dip your chicken in the egg mixture, then dip it directly in the bread crumb mixture. Coat the chicken really good on both sides. Do this to the remaining 5 chicken breasts. Add the breaded chicken to the hot pan. You may need two pans for 6 pieces of chicken, depending on how big a pan you have. Cook the chicken for 3 minutes on each side. Top each piece of chicken with a generous helping of mozzarella cheese. Transfer the pan, or pans, to the oven. Cook for 5 minutes until the cheese melts and chicken finishes cooking.

Cook your spaghetti following the instructions of the pasta box.

Serve the parmesan chicken on top of the cooked spaghetti and top with marinara and a sprinkling of grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy.

Filed Under: Pasta, Savory Tagged With: , ,

Greek Pasta Salad

April 8, 2012 By 22 Comments

Happy Easter! I hope everyone is enjoying copious amounts of Easter candy. I’ve been stuffing jelly beans, sour gummy worms, and cupcakes in my mouth all weekend. Starting tomorrow, I’m quitting cold turkey. No more candy, no more cupcakes, and no more caramel sauce in my iced coffee. I may go through sugar withdrawals, but I’ll have to stay strong. From now on, it’s back to fruit, whole grains, and veggies.

Not only are we celebrating Easter today, but it’s time to celebrate #SundaySupper. I was going to share my mac and cheese recipe with all of you, but I forgot to measure the ingredients. I’m not used to measuring when I cook. Don’t worry, next time I make it, I’ll make sure I remember to measure. However, I did remember to measure the ingredients for the greek pasta salad I made. This is one of my favorite pasta salads. It’s packed with veggies, feta cheese, and kalamata olives. Yum!

We celebrated Easter a day early since some of our family members had to travel home on Easter day. We had a very casual dinner- barbecue style. We grilled chicken, hamburgers, and sausage. I made corn on the cob, greek pasta salad, and a few desserts. My mom made her famous green beans and was the grill master for the day. When the food was done, all of us gathered together and enjoyed the little time we had with each other.

To top the day off, we sat around the fire and had a few cocktails and roasted marshmallows. Enjoy your Easter!

Love and sweet treats,

Jennie

Recipe:

1 pound pasta

1 pint grape tomatoes, whole or halved

1 seedless cucumber, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 yellow pepper, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

1/2 red onion, diced

1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped

1 15 oz. can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup feta cheese

1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/3 cup plus 1 tbs. red wine vinegar

1 lemon, juiced

6 tsp. honey

2 tsp. dijon mustard

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. dried oregano

salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to the package instructions. Drain, rinse under cold water, and drain again. Set aside.

Combine tomatoes, cucumber, bell peppers, beans, onion, and olives in a large mixing bowl. Add cooked pasta and toss to combine.

In a small bowl, whisk together oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, honey, mustard, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking. Pour over pasta and veggie mixture. Add feta and chopped mint. Stir to combine. Refrigerate until you’re ready to serve. Enjoy.

Filed Under: Pasta, Salad Tagged With: , , ,

Spaghetti with Vodka Sauce

March 10, 2012 By 3 Comments

Have you ever heard of the “No recipe recipe?” It’s a recipe, yet it’s not a recipe. What? I didn’t really understand its concept until I was in the kitchen the other night experimenting with a pasta sauce. Now, I completely understand the idea behind the no recipe recipe. It allows the cook the ability to impart their own creativity and flavors into a dish. It’s actually quite brilliant. It gives the base for a recipe, but allows room for flexibility. It’s good for the timid cook because they have essentials to work with but can go outside the boundaries if they’re feeling frisky.

I made a no recipe recipe vodka sauce that can be paired with pasta, chicken parmesan, lasagna, or whatever else you like. It’s a very flexible sauce, which means you can add a little of this or a little of that. Make it your own and get creative with it. That’s what a no recipe recipe is.

I paired my vodka sauce with spaghetti. Simple, yet delicious. This recipe is great for the busy cook. The sauce is finished in the time it takes the pasta to cook. No lie! I was completely impressed the other night when I made this dish. It was one of those nights when I had a million things to do and I had no idea how I was going to fit in making dinner. But, I did it. And, it only took 20 minutes. Victory feels good!

Add a little wine to the mix and life is good. It also helped me forgot about the many chores I had weighing on my thoughts.

The vodka sauce is extremely flavorful. It may only take about 15 minutes to cook, but it doesn’t lack in flavor. It’s creamy, cheesy, and slightly spicy. The vodka gets cooked down, but it leaves a nice bite in the background of the sauce. Enjoy!

Recipe:

1/2 cup onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/2-1 tsp. red pepper flakes (depending on your spice level)

1 cup vodka

28 oz can crushed tomatoes

3 tbs. parmesan

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

1 tsp. italian seasoning

1/2 tsp. dried basil (3 tbs. of fresh basil if you have it on hand)

1 tbs. sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

1lb pasta

Cook your pasta following the instructions on the pasta box. Don’t forget to season the pasta water with salt. It’s the only time to impart flavor into your pasta. It definitely makes a difference.

In a large saucepan, heat two tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Cook until tender, about 2 minutes. Add vodka and reduce to about half, about 3 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, italian seasoning, dried basil (if using fresh basil, don’t put it in until the sauce is almost finished), and sugar. Cook for about 3 minutes. Using an immersion blender, blend sauce until smooth. If you don’t have an immersion blender, feel free to use a food processor or blender. Of course, you’re welcome to leave the sauce chunky if that’s the way you like it. Add parmesan and ricotta cheese. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add one cup of pasta water to the sauce and stir. Add your cooked pasta to the sauce and serve. Remember, this is a no recipe recipe. You can add or subtract wherever you like. Add a little more heat by adding a bit more red pepper flakes. If you love cheese, add more ricotta or parmesan. It’s your sauce, so by all means, add what you love. Enjoy!

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Filed Under: Pasta, Savory Tagged With: , , ,