Your Family Will LOVE This Recipe! Guaranteed!

Posted April 2, 2014 by jimhigley

Savory Bow Tie Pasta with Chicken and Broccoli

I just stumbled on this recipe in some old files – and I’m not sure I ever posted it. So in the spirit of sharing the love (and an easy recipe I won some contest with) this one’s for you:

If you’re looking for a recipe to wow your family, this is a great option. It’s a savory dish with starch, protein and vegetables all in one! As an added bonus, here’s some of my best hints for this recipe!

Pasta Tip. If your family is anything like mine, you go through a lot of pasta. For years, I’d put leftover, cooked pasta in the refrigerator thinking someone would enjoy it later. More times than not, however, it went ignored. Why? Warmed up pasta gets a little sticky. So, after some experimenting, I finally figured out the trick. Now, when I make pasta, I make a little extra and freeze it in small serving portions. When a kid wants a quick pasta snack, I simply boil some water (or even faster, do it in the microwave) and then pop the frozen pasta in the boiling water for about 2 minutes. Drain, rinse and it’s good to go! This is one of my all-time best discoveries. For this recipe, you can do the pasta well ahead of time and prepare it as described above if you desire!
Some of the ingredients in this menu can be found in most grocery store salad bars. Broccoli, sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts? Look for them at the salad bar before you stock up on more than you need. Also, if you don’t feel like preparing the chicken as described in the recipe, you can always substitute chicken strips that are already cooked and available in your grocery store freezer section!
For fun, add sliced nicoise olives! You can also substitute the oil your sun-dried tomatoes are packed in for part of the 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil the recipe calls for – you’ll get the added bonus of that great infused flavor!

Ingredients

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup diced white onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2-3 halves, cut into 1/2 inch wide strips)
1-1/2 cups small broccoli florets
3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and sliced thin
3/4 cup artichoke hearts packed in oil, drained and chopped
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup dry white wine (or 3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar)
3/4 cup chicken broth
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 lb. bow tie pasta, cooked according to package directions
1/4 cup diced fresh basil
Grated Parmesan cheese

Notes: I like to do a little prep work before I cook to get organized. For this recipe, I like to cut the chicken, and have the onion, garlic, broccoli, sun-dried tomatoes, and artichoke hearts cut and ready to go before I start cooking! It’s also handy to have the pasta cooked and drained ahead of time!

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Saute the onion until softened, about 3-4 minutes, add the minced garlic and saute for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the chicken strips and saute until white and almost completely cooked. Add broccoli and saute until crisp-tender. Add sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Add vinegar, wine and butter and cook 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened slightly. Toss the cooked pasta with the chicken mixture. Serve with Parmesan cheese and garnish with basil!