Pasta with Chicken & Feta
The idea for this recipe started with a leftover container of olives .This is also the kind of pasta that can be served room temperature or even chilled , and definitely deserves a place as a barbecue and picnic side dish .
Pasta - night strategies:
- Choose whole - wheat pasta : Almost every major brand of pasta at the supermarket offers a whole wheat or whole grain option .This is great news : whole wheat and whole grain pasta have up to twice the fiber of white flour pasta, and retain some of the trace minerals not added back to white flour pasta during the enrichment process .Plus , whole wheat and whole grain pasta have a nice nutty flavor and a pleasant chewy texture that I have grown to love .
If you prefer to ease into the world of whole wheat pasta , try a blend .Blends have a varying percentage of whole grain to refined flour .You'll sacrifice some fiber , but you still get an average of 2 grams more per serving compared to white pasta .
- Save the cheese for garnishing - Some pasta recipes direct you to mix grated and fresh cheeses ,into the pasta with the sauce .I prefer to save saturated fat and calories by sprinkling or spooning my cheese on top only .This way I get a fresh , sharp bite of cheese every bite .
Ingredients
Serves 4
2 tbsp olive oil
450 g/ 1 lb skinless, boneless
chicken breast , cut into thin strips
6 spring onions , chopped
225 g / 8 oz Feta cheese , diced
4 tbsp chopped fresh chives
450 g / 1 lb dried garganelli
salt and pepper
tomato sliced ,to serve
Method
1 .Heat the olive oil in a heavy based frying pan .Add the chicken and cook over medium heat , stirring frequently for 5-6 minutes , or until golden all over and cooked through . Add the spring onions and cook for 2 minutes . Stir the Feta cheese into the pan with half the chives and season with salt and pepper .
2 .Meanwhile , bring a large heavy based saucepan of lightly salted water to the boil . Add the pasta , return to the boil and cook for 8-10 minutes , or until tender but still firm to the bite. Drain well , then transfer to a warmed serving dish .
3 .Spoon the chicken mixture onto the pasta , toss lightly and serve immediately , garnished with the remaining chives and accompanied by tomato sliced.
Pasta - night strategies:
- Choose whole - wheat pasta : Almost every major brand of pasta at the supermarket offers a whole wheat or whole grain option .This is great news : whole wheat and whole grain pasta have up to twice the fiber of white flour pasta, and retain some of the trace minerals not added back to white flour pasta during the enrichment process .Plus , whole wheat and whole grain pasta have a nice nutty flavor and a pleasant chewy texture that I have grown to love .
If you prefer to ease into the world of whole wheat pasta , try a blend .Blends have a varying percentage of whole grain to refined flour .You'll sacrifice some fiber , but you still get an average of 2 grams more per serving compared to white pasta .
- Save the cheese for garnishing - Some pasta recipes direct you to mix grated and fresh cheeses ,into the pasta with the sauce .I prefer to save saturated fat and calories by sprinkling or spooning my cheese on top only .This way I get a fresh , sharp bite of cheese every bite .
Ingredients
Serves 4
2 tbsp olive oil
450 g/ 1 lb skinless, boneless
chicken breast , cut into thin strips
6 spring onions , chopped
225 g / 8 oz Feta cheese , diced
4 tbsp chopped fresh chives
450 g / 1 lb dried garganelli
salt and pepper
tomato sliced ,to serve
Method
1 .Heat the olive oil in a heavy based frying pan .Add the chicken and cook over medium heat , stirring frequently for 5-6 minutes , or until golden all over and cooked through . Add the spring onions and cook for 2 minutes . Stir the Feta cheese into the pan with half the chives and season with salt and pepper .
2 .Meanwhile , bring a large heavy based saucepan of lightly salted water to the boil . Add the pasta , return to the boil and cook for 8-10 minutes , or until tender but still firm to the bite. Drain well , then transfer to a warmed serving dish .
3 .Spoon the chicken mixture onto the pasta , toss lightly and serve immediately , garnished with the remaining chives and accompanied by tomato sliced.
