Sometimes I get tired of trying to figure out new ways to prepare chicken, especially with the added challenge of making it appeal to a child with limited food preferences. This dilemma resulted in the creation of a new recipe that may be the easiest way I know to cook a winning meal in 15 minutes. Get ready to roll!
Boil water to make four servings of pasta noodles, such as penne, farfalle, or rotini, according to directions. I like to sneak in some veggies by tossing a handful or two of broccoli tops into the boiling water during the final five minutes of cooking. Reserve about ½ cup of the cooking water before draining the pasta and broccoli.
While the pasta is doing its thing, pull out your food processor. Toss in:
- One pound of cubed, raw chicken
- ¾ cup roughly chopped onion (about one medium onion)
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2-4 cloves (to your preference) garlic, smashed, peel removed
- One or two large handfuls of fresh, roughly chopped basil (for extra pizazz, add a sprig of rosemary leaves stripped from the stem)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Pulse the blender until everything is mixed together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. This will take about one minute. Shape the mixture into 1-inch meatballs and fry in a pan with a small amount of olive or other oil.
Add cooked pasta and broccoli to the pot. Add about ½ cup of Parmesan and a small amount of the pasta cooking water to create a bit of a sauce. Stir, adding more water, if needed. Toss in the meatballs and blend.
Divide into bowls and serve. I like to garnish the plates with a sprig or a chiffonade of basil for fun (that’s a fancy way of saying chop a few basil leaves into thin strips and sprinkle them on top of the pasta dish).
Trust me, this is a winner. And, of course, ask God to bless your dinner time together before you dig in.
BarbHowe.org 