"It smells like fried food in here."
"What's this?"
"Is it healthy?"
All asked within 5 minutes of my brother's arrival to my house.
"Um...well...I mean...the chicken is like...pan fried...um...and the sauce isn't full of preservatives? Sooooo?"
"Well the pasta is just carbs so I'll just eat chicken and sauce," and then he sat down to eat a bunch of my chicken and sauce. Thus concludes the tale of the mooch-y carb-free brother.
Silly brother aside--you should totally not skip the pasta. The pasta plus cream sauce plus chicken creates a trifecta of yum. And I used whole wheat pasta so it was totally fine :P. The sauce is sort of alfredo-esque, but more herbaceous? And with the chicken this is sort of a chicken parmesan situation...but without the melted cheese on the chicken...and not tomato sauce...and the chicken has a bit of a sweetness to it because of the cornflakes....but you get the idea.
The perfect bite starts with the tender, juicy chicken encrusted in that slightly sweet fried breading. Then it gives way to a creamy, rich, delightful sauce which encases some chewy noodles. Yum. Very filling too-a tiny bowl will pretty much satisfy your belly, even if you have a demanding, Italian stomach like myself and Michael.*
*(Fun fact: he doesn't know what it means to be hungry. He says he's hungry and I tell him "Just because you're not full doesn't mean you're hungry. Do you actually feel hunger?" and he replied, "That's not being hungry, that's STARVING." True story.
Crispy Chicken with Italian Sauce & NoodlesAdapted from Jamie Cooks It Up! + Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup
Makes 6 servings.
Ingredients:
Chicken/Pasta-- 3 large chicken breasts
- 5 cups cornflakes
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 cup milk
- 6 tbsp. olive oil
- 12 oz. farfalle or penne pasta
- 8 oz. cream cheese
- 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1/4 tsp. granulated garlic
- 1/2 tsp. oregano
- 1/4 tsp. seasoned salt
- 1 tsp. chicken bouillon granules
- 6 tbsp. butter
- 5 tbsp. flour
- 2 cups chicken broth, divided
- 1 and 1/2 cups milk, divided
Chicken/Pasta-
- Using a food processor grind the cornflakes into crumbs.
- Stir together the flour and salt.
- Place the crushed cornflakes, flour, and milk in 3 separate containers (could be bowls, loaf pans, etc.)
- Place chicken breasts in a large Ziploc bag and pound with a meat mallet until flattened. Cut each flattened chicken breast in half (using kitchen shears).
- Coat each piece of chicken in the flour and then place on a baking sheet. Place the floured chicken in the freezer for 5 minutes.
- Begin preparing pasta according to package directions.
- Remove chicken from the freezer and dip each piece into the milk and then coat in the cornflake crumbs.
- Heat olive oil up in a large skillet. Once hot, lay the coated chicken breasts (don't crowd them, you may need to do 2 batches) in the hot oil and cook on medium-high heat for about 5 minutes or until browned. Flip the chicken over. If the pan is dry, add more oil and swirl it around. Cover the pan and reduce the heat to medium (or potentially medium-low). Cook for 7 more minutes (or until cooked all the way through) but be careful not to burn the bottoms of the chicken!
- Once chicken is fully cooked place on a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
- Place cream cheese in a small bowl and microwave for about 30 seconds-until softened. Add the seasonings and bouillon granules and stir until combined.
- Add butter to the skillet the chicken cooked in over medium-high heat. Allow it to melt and whisk in the flour until bubbly.
- Add 1 cup chicken broth and 1 cup milk and whisk frequently/continuously until it thickens and begins to simmer.
- Then, add the remaining 1 cup broth and 1/2 cup milk, as well as the cream cheese mixture.
- Let it bubble again, still whisking it, and continue to cook for about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Slice chicken into strips and serve over cooked pasta and sauce. Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.
I already miss my gorgeous, fresh, herbs. I wish it was always summer!