Pasta With Chicken Asparagus Prosciutto Or Bacon Recipes

CREAMY CHICKEN ASPARAGUS PASTA

Steps:

• In a small bowl, stir together basil, oregano, thyme and 1/4 salt and pepper. Sprinkle half of the herb mixture evenly over tops of chicken. Heat olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
• Once hot, add chicken to skillet, herbed side down, then add remaining herb mixture to tops of chicken.
• Cook chicken until fully cooked through, about 8 - 12 minutes, occasionally rotating chicken (time will vary based on thickness of chicken breasts. If chicken is browning too quickly reduce heat to medium low as needed). Transfer cooked chicken to a plate, let rest 5 minutes then dice into pieces.
• Meanwhile cook pasta according to directions listed on package, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.
• In a clean skillet (large and deep), melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly, add garlic and cook 30 seconds longer, stirring constantly.
• While whisking, slowly pour in milk then cream (whisk vigorously to break up clumps). Season with salt and pepper to taste (a fair amount of each) and bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly.
• Once it reaches a boil and thickens, reduce heat to medium-low, add Neufchatel and parmesan cheese and cook, stirring frequently, until cheeses have melted.
• Toss in cooked pasta, then add cooked chicken, steamed asparagus and bacon and toss to evenly coat. Add in reserved pasta water as desired (it will thicken as it rests and the pasta will absorb the liquids, so add up to 1/2 cup as needed). Serve immediately.

PASTA WITH CHICKEN AND ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Remove all sinew and cartilege from the chicken breast and cut into strips about 1 and 1/2 inches long and a half inch wide.
• Scrape and trim the asparagus, discarding any tough ends, and cut on the diagonal into one and half lengths.
• Drop the asparagus into rapidly boiling water and cook for just a few moments--they should still be crisp--and drain and reserve, keeping warm.
• Cook the pasta in rapidly boiling salted water until al dente and drain and reserve, keeping warm.
• Heat the butter in a casserole and add the chicken strips, stirring and seasoning with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, cooking less than a minute, until the chicken just begins to change color.
• Add the asparagus and stir.
• Add the shallots and cook briefly, about 30 seconds.
• Add the cream, hot red pepper (or pepper flakes) and the tarragon and stir.
• Break the gorgonzola cheese into small lumps and add it, cooking just until the cheese melts.
• Add a generous grinding of black pepper and the tarragon and stir.
• Add the drained pasta and toss well.
• Serve with grated parmesan on the side.

PASTA WITH CHICKEN, ASPARAGUS & PROSCIUTTO (OR BACON)

Steps:

• Trim the asparagus and cut into short lengths on the diagonal - keep the tips separate. (If you like, peel the stems to give a more vibrant colour when cooked.) Cook the stems in salted boiling water for about 4 minutes, then add the tips and cook for 1 minute more. Drain and refresh under cold running water.
• Peel the lemons with a serrated knife, remove all the white pith, then cut into segments by slicing each side of the pieces of membrane. Now cut the segments into small pieces (flick out any pips) and put them in a bowl with any juice. Broil the prosciutto for 3-4 minutes until crisp - keep an eye on it because it can burn easily.
• Meanwhile cook the pasta in plenty of well-salted boiling water until al dente.While it's cooking, put the butter and half the cream in a large pan and let them bubble together over a low heat for 2-3 minutes until thickened slightly. Tip in the lemon segments and juice, the chicken, asparagus and a few pinches of salt. Turn off the heat.
• Drain the pasta and add it to the contents of the pan along with the rest of the cream. Toss well, adding black pepper and nutmeg to taste, and the grated parmesan. Toss again, top with the prosciutto and serve immediately.

PASTA WITH ASPARAGUS AND PROSCIUTTO

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the prosciutto in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it renders some fat and begins to brown, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme and cook until the garlic just begins to soften, about 30 seconds. Remove the skillet from the heat and add the wine. Return to the heat and cook until the wine evaporates slightly, about 2 more minutes. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Add the cream and nutmeg and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly, about 3 more minutes.
• Meanwhile, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook as the label directs, adding the asparagus during the last minute of cooking. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain the pasta and asparagus.
• Add the cheese to the cream sauce and stir to combine. Add the pasta and asparagus and toss to coat, adding some of the reserved cooking water to loosen, if needed. Season with salt and pepper. Divide among bowls and top with more cheese.

CHICKEN ASPARAGUS PASTA

Steps:

• Place asparagus in an ungreased 2-qt. baking dish; drizzle with 2 teaspoons oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 10-12 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. , Meanwhile, cook fettuccine according to package directions. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook chicken and garlic in remaining oil until chicken is no longer pink., Stir in the lemon juice, zest and butter; heat through. Remove from the heat. Drain fettuccine; toss with chicken mixture and asparagus. Sprinkle with cheese.

CHICKEN & BACON PASTA

Steps:

• Heat the oil and butter in a medium saucepan over a low heat and fry the onion for 10 mins, or until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 2 mins more. Add the cream, mascarpone, parmesan and stock cube. Give it a stir and add the cooked chicken and bacon to heat through.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta following pack instructions. Reserve 100ml of the pasta water. Toss the pasta in the creamy sauce and enough of the reserved water to loosen. Season with black pepper. Top with the parsley and serve with a green salad.

MAKEOVER RIGATONI WITH BACON AND ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Fill a 6-qt. stockpot 3/4 full with water; bring to a boil. Add asparagus; cook, uncovered, 3 minutes or until tender. Remove with a slotted spoon and immediately drop into ice water. Drain and pat dry., Return water to a boil; cook rigatoni according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat butter and oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic; cook and stir 1 minute. Stir in cream. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 3-4 minutes or until slightly thickened. Stir in mozzarella cheese until melted., Drain rigatoni; return to pan. Stir in asparagus, bacon, parsley, salt, pepper and cream sauce. Sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

LEMON-ASPARAGUS SPAGHETTI WITH BASIL CHICKEN

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Drain, reserving some pasta water.
• While spaghetti is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Flip, add a dollop of pesto to each breast, and continue to cook, flipping as needed, until no longer pink in the centers, 7 to 10 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
• Heat remaining oil in a separate pan over medium heat. Add asparagus and cook for 1 to 3 minutes, depending how tender you like it. Add garlic, pepper flakes, and lemon juice; cook for 1 minute. Add cooked spaghetti, a dollop of pesto, and Parmesan cheese; stir until cheese melts. Add a tablespoon of the reserved pasta water if cheese begins to stick to the pan.
• Chop chicken and add on top of spaghetti. Season with salt and pepper.

CREAMY CHICKEN-ASPARAGUS PASTA

Steps:

• To toast pine nuts, sprinkle in ungreased heavy skillet. Cook over medium heat 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently until nuts begin to brown, then stirring constantly until nuts are light brown. Remove from skillet to plate; set aside to cool.
• Cook and drain noodles as directed on package, adding asparagus during last 3 minutes of cooking time.
• Meanwhile, in 3-quart saucepan, heat Alfredo sauce to boiling. Stir in pesto with whisk. Stir in chicken and salt.
• Reserve 1/4 cup asparagus for garnish. Stir noodles and remaining asparagus into Alfredo-pesto mixture. Cook and stir over medium heat until hot. Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and cheese; garnish with tomato and reserved asparagus.

PARMESAN-TOPPED PASTA WITH ASPARAGUS AND BACON

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook linguine at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain.
• Meanwhile, cook diced bacon in a pan over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until nice and crispy, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Remove and discard all but 1 tablespoon grease from the pan.
• Saute asparagus in the bacon grease over medium heat until crisp-tender, about 10 minutes; try to avoid overcooking it. Remove asparagus to a bowl.
• Add wine and give the bottom of a pan a good stir to scrape off any brown bits. Let boil until reduced by about 1/2, about 3 minutes, adding more wine if desired. Add drained pasta, asparagus, bacon, and 1/2 of the Parmesan cheese; toss to coat. Sprinkle remaining Parmesan over top.