Chicken and pasta is a time-tested, classic combination. The first chicken and pasta dish that probably comes to your mind is chicken parmesan. This recipe has parmesan in it, but it's a distinctly different dish.
The pasta you choose for this recipe is up to you, but we recommend penne, elbow, or mostaccioli. Go for a whole-wheat variety for a pasta dish that's packed with plenty of fiber. For the Parmesan cheese, freshly grated is best if you can come by it.
This dish will cook in the slow cooker, making it even easier to prepare. On high, this dish will need to cook for three and a half hours. On low, it will need to cook for seven hours. Which setting you pick depends on your schedule. If you need this dish to be done quickly, pick high. If you have the time to wait, cook it on low.
Some cooks claim that meat doesn't tenderize properly when cooked on high. In our opinion, both settings can provide wonderfully tender meat. However, allowing your meat to tenderize for longer in the slow cooker is never a bad idea. Ultimately, the choice is yours.
Rosemary Chicken with Pasta
Ingredients:
2 medium onions, sliced or chopped
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic or 4 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thighs
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
2 tablespoons wine vinegar
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed, or 1 tablespoon fresh
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 (4 ounce) can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 (8 ounce) package dried pasta (penne, mostaccioli, or elbow macaroni)
Grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
1. In a 3-1/2 to 4-1/2 quart crockpot, place the onions and garlic on the bottom. Add chicken to crockpot.
2. In a mixing bowl combine undrained tomatoes, tomato paste, vinegar, bay leaves, sugar, rosemary, salt, and pepper; mix well.
3. Pour over chicken. Cover and cook on LOW heat setting for 7 hours. Or, cook on HIGH heat setting for 3-1/2 hours.
4. When ready to serve, remove bay leaves. Stir mushrooms into chicken mixture; cook for 5 to 10 minutes more to heat through.
5. Cook pasta according to package directions. Serve the chicken and sauce over the hot cooked pasta; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Photography By Tonelson/ via Getty Images.