Quick Chicken Alfredo

“Leftovers”? Put to Work, and Awesome!

This popular Italian pasta dish, with its creamy base and fresh garlic flavor, can utilize “leftover” chicken. Delicious!

While “Fettucine Alfredo” is most traditional, we use rotelle pasta at The New Deli, which cooks up easily (it’s less likely to stick together). Our version is also lighter than most renditions; if you’re looking for an “Olive Garden” style pasta dish, just add a package of cream cheese to this recipe, cut up in small pieces.

When cooking fettucine, stir often, as the flat sides of the noodles like to stick together if unattended. Add steamed broccoli and other favorites to this dish for variety; peas are a traditional component. Serves 2-4 or so.

INGREDIENTS

• 8 oz. pasta, dry (fettucine or other)
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg (or to taste)
• salt to taste
• fresh grated black pepper
• 1-2 c. cooked chicken
• 1-2 tsp. chopped fresh garlic
• 1/2 c. olive oil
• 1/2 c. cream (or butter from grass-fed cows)
• 1/2 c. water
• 1 c. Parmesan
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 c. fresh chopped parsley
• Optional: Peas, broccoli, or other veggies

PREPARATION

1. To a pot of boiling water, add: > 8 oz. dry pasta (your choice, although Fettucini noodles are tradtional)

2. Stir pasta and continue cooking on lower heat, 15 minutes or according to directions. (Different pastas cook in different lengths of time.) Meanwhile, into a ceramic bowl, add: > 1-2 tsp. chopped fresh garlic > 1/2 c. virgin olive oil > 1/2 c. cream (or butter from grass-fed cows) > 1/4 tsp. nutmeg (or to taste) > salt to taste > fresh grated black pepper > cooked pasta

3. Microwave the ceramic bowl of ingredients for 3 minutes or so, until heated and garlic is fragrant. This mixture can also be heated in the oven first. To the heated ingredients, add and toss again: > 1-2 c. cooked chicken, in chunks > 1 c. parmesan > 2 eggs > fresh chopped parsley > Optional: Veggies of choice, cooked (or frozen peas, heated in pasta just until warm)

4. This recipe can be used for leftover pasta and/or chicken, making an even quicker meal.