ONE POT CHICKEN ALFREDO

I hate it when recipes say, "You can make this recipe using ingredients you already have in your kitchen!" And then the recipes calls for fresh tarragon or fish sauce and coconut milk. I don't have that on hand! Does anyone else? That being said, you really CAN make this recipe using only the staples in your kitchen! I'll tell you how I know this... 

We all remember that horrible week this past January known as the "Polar Vortex." The week when the weather was so horrible and the road conditions were so scary I literally cried driving to and from work each day. I refused to leave the house even to grocery shop (that's a big deal for me). And since I didn't stock up on food before the storm, I had to get creative with dinner. Hence the creation of the One Pot Chicken Alfredo. For this dish, I really was forced to use only the ingredients I had in my kitchen: chicken, broth, milk, pasta, and cheese. 

I was skeptical at first glance of the list of ingredients. It sounded pretty bland. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the results! It really did taste like chicken alfredo! It was so creamy and cheesy. And best of all, I only used one pot - meaning I only had one pot to clean up! The uncooked penne pasta cooks in the same pot as the milk, broth and chicken. How genius! Additionally, you can save yourself even more clean up by just eating out of the pot, but I won't personally recommend that since my mother reads this blog :)

ONE POT CHICKEN ALFREDO
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

INGREDIENTS

·      2 tablespoons olive oil

·      1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

·      3 teaspoons minced garlic

·      1 (14-ounce) can low sodium chicken broth

·      2 cups milk

·      1 pound penne pasta, uncooked

·      2 cups grated Parmesan cheese

·      Salt and pepper to taste

·      Flat leaf parsley for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1.     Pull out the largest pan you own (personally, I use my 5 quart chili pot).

2.     Cut chicken breasts into 1-inch pieces. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and pepper.

3.     Brown chicken in olive oil over medium high heat for just about 3 minutes. The chicken should still be a little pink on the inside because it will continue cooking as the dish simmers.

4.     Once chicken is browned, add minced garlic and sauté for about one minute.

5.     Add chicken broth, milk and uncooked pasta to pan and stir.

6.     Bring to a boil, then cover the pan and reduce to a simmer.

7.     Simmer for about 15 minutes.

8.     Check to see if the chicken is cooked-through and the pasta is tender.

9.     Remove pan from heat and stir in cheese.

10. Season with salt and pepper as needed.

11. Store leftovers in airtight container in refrigerator for 4-5 days. 

Adapted from No. 2 Pencil

*NOTES: If you're not serving 4 people, or if you don't like leftovers you can easily cut this recipe in half. I personally always cook the full amount because it reheats very well.

Chicken is still a little pink on the inside

Dump all the ingredients into one pot, including the uncooked pasta

This is what the pot will look like when it's done simmering

Add the Parmesan to the pot to create a creamy Alfredo sauce

Sprinkle with a little parsley for garnish