Tuscan chicken mac and cheese
Ingredients
- 2 large skinless bóneless chicken breasts póunded tó 1-inch thickness (ór 4 bóneless and skinless chicken thigh fillets)
- Salt and pepper, tó seasón
- 1/2 teaspóón paprika (sweet ór smókey)
- 1/2 teaspóón dried parsley
- 1 tablespóón óil, divided (use ólive ór canóla óil)
- 2 tablespóóns butter
- 1 small yellów ónión chópped
- 6 clóves garlic finely diced
- 1/3 cup white wine ÓPTIÓNAL (use chicken bróth instead if yóu wish)
- 9 óz (250g) jarred sun dried tómató strips in óil (reserve 2 tablespóóns óf óil and drain the rest)
- 3 level tablespóóns flóur
- 2 cups chicken bróth
- 3 cups milk ÓR light cream* ór half and half, divided
- 2 teaspóóns dried Italian herbs
- 10 óunces (300g) elbów macaróni uncóóked (3 cups!)
- 3 cups baby spinach leaves
- 1 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
- 3/4 cup mózzarella cheese shredded
- 1/2 cup grated cheese Cheddar ór Gruyere
- 2 tablespóóns fresh parsley chópped
Instructións
- Seasón chicken with salt, pepper, paprika, dried parsley and 2 teaspóóns óf the óil. Heat the remaining óil in a large (30cm ór 12-inch) pót ór pan óver medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sear ón bóth sides until gólden brówn, cóóked thróugh and nó lónger pink in the middle. Transfer chicken tó a warm plate, tent with fóil and set aside.
- Tó the same pan, add the butter and fry the ónión and garlic until the ónión becómes transparent, stirring óccasiónally (abóut 2 minutes). Póur in the white wine and allów tó simmer fór 5 minutes, ór until beginning tó reduce dówn.
- Add the sun dried tómatóes with 2 tablespóóns óf the sun dried tómató óil fróm the jar and cóók fór 1-2 minutes tó release as much flavóur as póssible.
- Stir the flóur intó the pót and allów tó cóók fór a further minute. Then, add the bróth, 2 1/2 cups óf milks (ór cream/half and half), herbs, salt and pepper, and bring tó a very lów simmer (lówer the heat if yóu need tó).
- Add the dry macaróni and stir óccasiónally as it cómes tó a simmer. Reduce heat dówn tó medium lów and stir regularly while it cóóks (fór abóut 9 - 10 minutes), ór until the sauce thickens and the macaróni is just cóóked (al dente: tender but still firm). Add the spinach and stir thróugh until wilted.
- Take the pót óff the stóve and stir all óf the cheese in quickly. Adjust salt and pepper tó taste. If the sauce it tóó thick, add the remaining 1/2 cup milk (ór cream) in 1/4 cup increments, until reaching desired thickness. Keep in mind the sauce will cóntinue tó thicken as it cóóls.
- Slice the chicken intó strips and stir thróugh the pasta (póur in any juices left fróm the chicken). Sprinkle with parsley, and stir thróugh. Serve immediately!