ONE-PAN CREAMY CHICKEN & MUSHROOM PENNE

Everyday Eats by Jasmin Weston

Serves: 4

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS

300 g chicken breast fillet, cut into 2.5cm dice

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon dried thyme

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, diced

200 g button mushrooms, sliced

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

300 ml thickened cream

250 ml (1 cup) chicken stock

350 g penne (or other pasta of your choice)

50 g (½ cup) freshly grated parmesan

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

TO SERVE

fresh parsley, roughly chopped

RECIPE

1. Mise en place (get all your ingredients and equipment ready before you start).

2. Place the chicken in a bowl with the garlic and onion powders, oregano, thyme and salt and pepper to taste and toss to coat the chicken.

3. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and cook the chicken 60 per cent of the way through, about 2–3 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside in a bowl or on a plate.

4. In the same pan, heat the other tablespoon of olive oil and sauté the onion with a good pinch of salt until the onion is softened and translucent.

5. Add the mushrooms and cook for 1–2 minutes or until softened.

6. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.

Adding garlic too early can cause it to burn. Remember, be calculated when you add garlic to a dish. It only needs a fraction of time before it starts to turn bitter.

7. Add the thickened cream, stock and pasta and stir to combine.

8. Return the chicken to the pan and mix to combine so everything is submerged in liquid. Reduce the heat slightly, cover and cook until the pasta is al dente, about 7–10 minutes.

Al dente describes pasta or rice that still has a slight bite and firmness to it. It adds texture and ensures your dish doesn’t turn to mush.

9. Once the pasta is cooked, add the parmesan and mustard and stir through. Taste the sauce to ensure it’s seasoned well – Rule #6: Season, Taste, Season, Taste.

10. Serve topped with the parsley and dig in!