Penne Pasta with Chicken and Bacon, sweet, tangy delight

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The great thing about pasta and especially penne pasta is that it is a great accompaniment with many different types of seafood, meat and vegetables.

To make penne pasta with chicken and bacon gather I package penne pasta, 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided, 6 slices bacon, chopped,2 tablespoons minced garlic, 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, 1 pound deboned chicken breast, rinsed and cut into strips.

First, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil and add the penne pasta and cook until the pasta is tender but firm to the bite for about 8 to 10 minutes.

In a separate container, heat olive oil over a medium flame and sauté chicken. Remove the chicken and fry the bacon until brown and crisp. Next add garlic and cook for about a minute. Add the tomatoes and cook until it’s done.

Drain water from the pasta and stir in the chicken and bacon, tomatoes, and garlic mixture with the remaining olive oil.

To add a little something extra this dish may be prepared by adding a few fresh vegetables.

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Chicken with Eggplant and Basil

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Chicken is one of the most versatile meats you can buy. It goes with just about everything and most dishes are so simple and easy to prepare. The Chicken with Eggplant and Basil is one such dish.

This dish requires 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1 baby eggplant cut in half, salt, 1 tablespoon pine nuts, 4 thin chicken cutlets, Freshly ground pepper, All-purpose flour, cloves garlic, chopped, 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained, rinsed and chopped, 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, 1/2 cup chicken broth, 1/4 cup ricotta cheese, and bread.

To prepare, first season the chicken with salt and pepper and roll in the flour. After shaking off the excess put aside. Next drizzle a little olive oil over the eggplants and add salt; place in an oven and cook for a few minutes. Toast the pine nuts over a saucepan over a high flame and then place in a bowl and drizzle the remaining olive oil.

Place the chicken in a saucepan and brown for a few minutes add the garlic and cook a few more minutes. Slice the eggplant into chunks and add tomatoes, eggplant, basil, nuts, and broth to cooking chicken. Simmer. Allow to cook and top with ricotta cheese and eggplant. Serve with bread.

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Chicken parmesan

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Cheese, especially parmesan cheese (read here other news) adds a little touch of flavor to just about every meal. It spices up chicken, beef, or pork.

To make chicken parmesan, you need 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, salt, black pepper, 2 eggs, 4 cups bread crumbs, 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup tomato sauce, 1/4 cup fresh mozzarella, cut into cubes, 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, 1/2 cup grated provolone cheese, and 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Put chicken breasts between two sheets of heavy plastic on a solid, level surface. Firmly pound the chicken with the smooth side of a meat mallet to pieces ½ inch thick; season with salt and pepper. Next beat eggs and set aside. Then mix bread crumbs and 1/2 cup Parmesan in a separate bowl and set aside. Sift flour and sprinkle over chicken breasts, evenly coating both sides. Dip in beaten eggs and transfer to breadcrumb mixture, pressing the crumbs into both sides.

Repeat for each breast and set aside for about 15 minutes. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over a medium flame and cook chicken until golden for about 2 minutes on either side.

Place chicken in a baking dish and top with about 1/3 cup of tomato sauce. Then layer each breast with mozzarella, basil, and provolone. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is browned and bubbly, and chicken breasts are no longer pink in the center, 15 to 20 minutes.

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Peanut noodles, meatless option

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Peanut noodles (read here other news about noodles) are an easy option to prepare for those who don’t eat meat or just and want a change from the regular pasta with chickenbeef, or shrimp.

The recipe requires 8 ounces ofspaghetti , 1 bunchgreen onions, with the white parts only sliced, 2 tablespoonssesame oil , 1 teaspoonminced fresh ginger root ,1/3 cuppeanut butter,1/4 cupsoy sauce, 1/4 cuphot water, 1 tablespooncider vinegar, 1 teaspoonwhite sugar, and 1/4 teaspooncrushed red pepper flakes.

To prepare, first cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until done. Add a few drops of oil to the water to prevent pasta sticking while cooking. Drain when cooked.

Heat oil in a skillet and add onions, cooking until tender. Add ginger and cook for a few minutes. Next mix in the peanut butter, soy sauce, water, vinegar, sugar, and red pepper flakes. Remove from the flame. Add the noodles to the peanut sauce and toss. Serve.

It is also possible to add other vegetables to this recipe. Some vegetable options include broccoli,shredded cabbageshredded carrotscucumberred peppersbean sproutskalebaby corn, and fried tofu cubes.

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Creamy Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken and Parmesan Cheese

fettuccine_alfredo_with_chicken
For a meal with a taste of Italian try Fettuccine Alfredo (read here other news). This is a dish to which one can add a variety of meats or seafood such as chicken and shrimp.

The recipe requires 12 ounces dried fettuccine,3 tablespoons butter, 12 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces, 2 large red or yellowbell peppers, cut into bit-size strips, 3 cloves garlic, minced, 1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream,1/2 teaspoon salt,1/8 teaspoon black pepper 2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, and Fresh basil.

To prepare, first cook the fettuccine in a large pot and according to directions on the package, then drain and return to the pot and cover to keep warm. You can add a few teaspoons of vegetable or olive oil t the salted water to prevent pasta from sticking together.

Next melt butter over medium flame in a large skillet and add chicken. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until cooked through and no pink remains. Remove the chicken from the pot with a slotted spoon.

Add bell peppers to pan and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Then add whipping cream, salt, and black pepper and bring to a boil.

Boil gently, uncovered, for 2 to 3 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken. Remove from heat; add the 2/3 cup Parmesan cheese and cooked chicken. Add the cooked fettuccine to the pan, stir gently and serve with additional Parmesan cheese and fresh basil.

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Chicken pot pie, one pot delight

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pot pie is baked savoury dish encased in a flaky pastry and baked in a pie tin to ensure it maintains its shape. There are several varieties including an Australian meat pie and various British regional types. In America, the pot pie can be filled with various types of meat including beefchicken, or turkey as well as vegetables such as carrotspotatoes, and green peas.

The chicken pot pie may be the most popular and is simple to make. The ingredients are 1 poundskinless, boneless chicken breast, cubed, 1 cupsliced carrots, 1 cupgreen peas,1/2 cupsliced celery,1/3 cupbutter,1/3 cuponion chopped, 1/3 cupall-purpose flour,1/2 teaspoonsalt,1/4 teaspoonblack pepper,1 3/4 cupschicken broth, and 2/3 cupmilk.

First preheat an oven to 425 degrees F. Then in a saucepan combine the carrots, chicken, peas, and celery, add water and cook for 15 minute then drain.

In a separate pan over a medium flame cook onions and butter add flour, salt, and pepper. Slowly add the broth and milk and cook until thick. Put the mixture in a pie crust then cover with the liquid, add the top pie crust and make a few slits in the top. Bake for between 30 and 35 minutes or until pastry is golden brown.

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Pasta primavera

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Pasta primavera is a dish made from pasta and fresh vegetables. Sometimes chicken is added but the meal is usually vegetables only. Ingredients such as broccoli, carrots, peas, onions, and green bell peppers, and tomatoes can be used. The pasta used can be bowtie or penne.

To make pasta primavera you will need 3 carrots, peeled and cut into thin strips, 2 medium zucchini, cut into thin strips, 2 yellow squash, cut into thin strips, 1 onion, thinly sliced, 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips, 1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt and freshly ground black pepper, 1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs, 1 pound bowtie pasta, 15 cherry tomatoes, halved, and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan.

Next preheat an oven to 450 degrees F and on a large heavy baking sheet, toss all the vegetables with oil, salt, pepper, and herbs.

Put half of the vegetable mixture onto a large baking sheet and arrange evenly. Bake until the carrots are tender and the vegetables begin to brown, stirring after the first 10 minutes.

Cook the pasta in a separate bowl of water until al dente for about 8 minutes. Next toss the pasta with the vegetables in a large bowl and combine.

Add the cherry tomatoes and enough of the left over cooking water to moisten. Season the pasta with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and serve immediately.

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Chef’s Salad for you

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Salads can be an interesting way to enjoy a healthy meal with a difference. The Chef’s Salad combines a variety of protein with vegetables.

It needs 4 cups torn iceberg lettuce, 4 cups torn fresh spinach, 4 ounces cooked ham, chicken, or turkey, cut into bite-size pieces, 4 ounces Swiss or American cheese, cut into bite-size pieces, 2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced, 2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges, 1 small red sweet pepper, cut into bite-size strips, 1 cup croutons, and 1/2 cup bottled French salad dressing

Toss the greens in a large bowl, dividing them into four salad bowls. Arrange the meat, cheese, eggs, tomato, and sweet pepper on top. Sprinkle with croutons. Drizzle with salad dressing.

For variations there is the Italian Chef’s Salad made with 2 ounces cooked chicken and 4 ounces mozzarella cheese, no eggs, 2 ounces sliced pepperoni, one 6-ounce jar quartered marinated artichoke heart quarters, drained; and 1/4 cup sliced, pitted ripe olives.

For dressing, use a creamy Italian salad dressing. A Mexican Chef’s Salad will require cooked chicken, beef, or pork and cheddar cheese or Monterey Jack cheese, no eggs, one 4-ounce can diced green chili peppers, drained, and 1/4 cup sliced pitted ripe olives. Use corn chips instead of croutons. 

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Chicken Curry, a taste of India at home

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Nothing says exotic like curry and one of the simplest curry dishes to make is chicken curry. The dish is traditionally Indian and is like bringing a little taste of the sub-Continent home.

The curry can be spiced according to your own taste – fiery hot or just mild enough to leave you wanting more.

Chicken curry is best served with either Jasmine or Basmati Rice or Nan, or both.

Gather together 2 cups of Basmati or Jasmine rice, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 medium onion chopped, 1 clove of garlic minced, 3 tablespoons of curry powder, 1 teaspoon of paprika, 1 bay leaf, ½ teaspoon of grated ginger root, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 2 skinless chicken breast halves cut into bite sized strips, 1 cup plain yogurt, ¾ cup coconut milk, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and salt to taste.

In a saucepan, heat olive oil over a medium flame and sauté onion until lightly browned. Add the garlic, curry powder, paprika, bay leaf, ginger root, and salt. Stir. Add chicken, tomato paste, coconut milk, cayenne pepper, lemon juice, and yogurt. Bring to boil, turn down heat, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. In a separate pot, cook rice according to directions on package.

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Chicken Lasagna, Healthy Twist on an old favourite

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Lasagna made with chicken instead of the traditional beef is a tasty choice which provides a twist on an old favourite and is a great option for vegetarians who want to add a bit of animal protein to their pasta.

This lasagna requires 1 and 1/2 cups of cooked ground chicken, 1 cup chicken stock, 1 can tomatoes, 1 can tomato paste, 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped, thyme, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 3 tablespoons honey, 8 ounces lasagna noodles, pepper,4 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese, 4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese, and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375°. In a saucepan combine chicken, chicken stock, tomatoes, tomato paste, pepper, garlic, thyme, honey, and olive oil and cook for a few minutes. Cook lasagna noodles until tender. Drain and cool in cold water.

In a casserole dish place a thin layer of chicken mixture, add a layer of lasagna noodles, slightly crossing each other. Pour more chicken mixture, sprinkle mozzarella and cheddar cheese and add a second layer of noodles, add a third layer of chicken mixture and sprinkle with cheese. Finally add more noodles chicken mixture, and sprinkle with grated Parmesan.

Bake lasagna for 25-30 minutes or until top is golden brown.

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