Linda's Chicken Fandango

Linda's Busy Kitchen's Note:

Created for RSC #11. Creamy pasta in a luscious wine sauce, with grilled chicken pieces and flavors of shallots, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms, and tarragon. During the final stage Asiago cheese is added to bring it all together, and make this a dish to remember. Serve in large bowls, so you can get lots of sauce for dipping your bread into. May I suggest a nice crusty Italian or French bread, and a nice white wine to accompany this lovely dinner? I used dry Marsala wine for this dish. I also used a George Foreman grill to do the chicken. It is fine to use whole wheat pasta.

• Total Time: 55 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 2

• 12 ounces fettuccine
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 5 quarts water
• 6 ounces boneless skinless chicken breasts, grilled
• 3 ounces butter flavored oil
• 1 (3 ounce) package shallots, thinly sliced into rings, caramelized
• 1/2 cup fresh spinach, julienned into thinly sliced strips
• 6 large mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 2 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, julienned into thin strips horizontally, then cut in half
• 1/4 teaspoon tarragon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 6 ounces white wine
• 10 ounces half-and-half or 10 ounces heavy cream
• 6 ounces asiago cheese

Directions:

1. Turn the grill on, and set it at 360°F.
2. Put 5 quarts water on to boil for pasta in a large pot. When water is boiling add the 1 T. salt, then add the fettuccine. Cook according to directions on box. Drain well, and set aside. Cover.
3. Once temperature is up to 360°F, place the chicken on the grill top and close the cover. Cook 15-20 minutes. Test with a knife to see if it is cooked all the way through. When chicken is done, cut it into thin strips horizontally (long way), then into 1" pieces. Set aside.
4. Chop shallots, spinach, mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes, and put in separate dishes.
5. Add 3 oz. of butter flavored oil to a lg. skillet. Heat over high heat and add shallots, then turn down to medium, and let the shallots caramelize, stirring once in awhile, so they don't burn (about 5-7 minutes).
6. When shallots are done add spinach, mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, grilled chicken, tarragon, salt and pepper. Saute for 1-2 minutes.
7. Add the white wine, and saute for 2 minutes.
8. On medium heat, add the half and half/cream. Let simmer for a few minutes, stirring to incorporate everything. (You don't want the heat too high, or the half and half/cream may curdle). Set aside.
9. Run hot water over the cooked pasta for 10 seconds, to heat. Drain thoroughly.
10. Put pasta in the saute pan, and using tongs, mix pasta until well incorporated and covered with sauce. Place briefly over low heat to make sure it's heated through. Take off burner.
11. Add Asiago cheese, and continue to toss until cheese is completely mixed in with the pasta and sauce.
12. Transfer to a large serving bowl with all the juices, and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
13. Serve in large spaghetti bowls with lots of sauce so you can dip your bread in and savor the juices.

Reviews

[LilPinkieJ]

This is good stuff. I made a couple of changes to suit our tastes. I used some roasted red pepper in place of the sun-dried tomatoes. I really like how the flavor of the pepper went with the cream sauce. I used chicken stock in place of the wine because DH detests anything made with wine. Also, I threw some Fontina on top with the Asiago and it was all creamy and melty. This is a great recipe creation and I love the name! I need to triple the recipe next time because there just wasn't enough. Made and Reviewed for Zaar Stars tag - Thanks! :)

[BluEyedCookette]

My whole family raved about this as soon as they took the first bite! I thought the combination of flavors was perfectly balanced and nothing overpowered the dish. There was just enough tarragon in there to make it flavorful, and I found that I really enjoy the taste when there isn't too much! Thank you for this wonderful new addition to my family favorites Linda!

[MixingItAllUp]

What a delicious pasta dish this is! I made it when we had company a few weeks ago, and it went over like gangbusters! Even the fussy kids in the family loved it and had seconds! I tripled the sauce and chicken and doubled the pasta, and we had just enough! The sauce and combination of spices and other ingredients were so good together! This has happily been added to my favorites where I know right where it is at all times!