So Many Dishes

Some days I just take small liberties with a recipe. Occasionally, I’ll follow a recipe exactly. Then there are those times when the written recipe is not much more than the inspiration for the final result. Sunday was one of those days.

It didn’t start out that way. I’ve made the artichoke chicken pasta recipe that we added to this week’s menu before, and, as I remember, I stuck to the recipe. It’s a relatively simple dish, which is one of the reasons we chose. We had been part of a music-centered service at church that morning, and Ken and I were both tired, physically and mentally. It definitely was not the day for a complicated meal that required a lot of time in the kitchen.

Once I started prepping my ingredients, I had a rude shock: I had forgotten to buy mushrooms, one of the vegetables called for in the recipe. Neither of us was in the mood to run to the grocery store, so goodbye, mushrooms.

Then there was the matter of the broccoli. The recipe calls for 1/2 cup of florets. That’s not a lot of broccoli, one of my favorite vegetables. One of the markets we shop at sells individual broccoli crowns, and one crowns is just right as a side for the two of us. I decided to include the entire crown that we had. I didn’t measure how much I ended up with after I’d separated the florets, but it was definitely more than a half-cup.

While I was adding extra, I decided to do the same with the grape tomatoes. Again, instead of a half-cup, I used the entire pint container. Veggie power! I did not, however, have a second can of artichoke hearts to include, much to Ken’s dismay. He believes that there’s no such thing as too many artichokes. (We joke that the local outlet of Jason’s Deli that was in Wellington closed because Ken ate so many of the artichoke hearts they had on the salad bar).

With everything prepped, dinner went together very quickly. While the spaghetti cooked, I stir fried the chicken and vegetables, then added the sauce ingredients. I served the result over the pasta, rather than tossing them together.

I’m including the recipe in its original form, from Mediterranean Made Easy, a Taste of Home cookbook that I’ve mentioned before. But don’t forget, it’s just a guideline.

Chicken Artichoke Pasta

• 8 oz. uncooked fettuccine or spaghetti
• 2 teaspoons flour
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, but into thin strips
• 1/2 cup fresh broccoli florets
• 1/2 sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 can (14 oz.) water-packed artichoke hearts, drained and halved
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (I used considerably more—at least 1 teaspoon)
• Shredded Parmesan cheese, to serve

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk flour, wine, and broth until smooth. In a large skillet heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add chicken; cook and stir until no longer pink, 2-4 minutes. Remove from pan.

In same skillet, heat remaining oil over medium high heat. Add broccoli; cook and stir 2 minutes. Add mushrooms, tomatoes, and garlic. Cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Stir in artichoke hearts, salt, oregano, and flour mixture. Bring to a boil, cook, and stir until thickened, 1-2 minutes. Add chicken and heat through. Add pasta and toss, or serve chicken and vegetables over pasta. Sprinkle with Parmesan, if desired. Serves 4.

Happy eating!