I’m ready for spring to get here, but spring, evidently, is not ready yet. Here are some easy one pot meals to help warm you up and are easy enough for weeknight dinners. And all are budget- friendly.
Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast 2 tbsp butter 2 cloves garlic 1/2 lb. penne pasta 1.5 cups chicken broth 1 cup milk 3 oz. cream cheese 1/3 cup basil pesto 1/4 cup grated Parmesan Freshly-cracked pepper 1 pinch crushed red pepper 3 cup fresh spinach 1/4 cup sliced sun dried tomatoes Cut the chicken breast into 1-inch pieces. Add the butter to a deep skillet and melt over medium heat. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook over medium heat until the chicken is slightly browned on the outside.
While the chicken is cooking, mince the garlic. Add the garlic to the skillet with the chicken and continue to sauté for one minute more.
Add the uncooked pasta and chicken broth to the skillet with the chicken and garlic. Stir to dissolve any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Place a lid on the skillet, turn the heat up to medium- high, and bring the broth up to a boil.
Once the broth comes to a full boil, give the pasta a quick stir, replace the lid, and turn the heat down to medium-low. Let the pasta simmer over medium-low heat for about 8 minutes, or until the pasta is tender and most of the broth has been absorbed. Stir the pasta briefly every two minutes as it simmers, replacing the lid quickly each time.
Once the pasta is tender and most of the broth absorbed, add the milk, cream cheese (cut into chunks), and pesto. Stir and cook over medium heat until the cream cheese has fully melted into the sauce. Finally, add the grated Parmesan and stir until combined.
Add the fresh spinach and sliced sun-dried tomatoes. Stir until the spinach has wilted, then remove the pasta from the heat. Top the pasta with freshly cracked pepper and a pinch of crushed red pepper, then serve.
—kwc—
Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
1 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp butter 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning 1 yellow onion, diced 1/2 lb. penne pasta (uncooked) 15 oz. fire-roasted diced tomatoes 2 cups chicken broth 2 oz. cream cheese 3 green onions, sliced Cut the chicken into 1/2 to 3/4-inch cubes. Place the cubed chicken in a bowl, pour the Cajun seasoning over top, and stir to coat the chicken in spices.
Add the olive oil and butter to a large deep skillet. Heat the oil and butter over medium- high until the skillet is very hot and the butter is melted and foamy. Add the seasoned chicken to the skillet and cook for a couple minutes on each side, or just until the outside gets some color. The chicken does not need to be cooked through at this point.
Add the diced yellow onion to the skillet and continue to sauté for about 2 minutes more, or just until the onion begins to soften. Allow the moisture from the onion to dissolve any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
Next, add the pasta, fire roasted diced tomatoes (with the juices), and chicken broth to the skillet. Stir just until everything is evenly combined, then place a lid on top and allow the broth to come up to a boil.
Once boiling, turn the heat down to medium-low and let the pasta simmer for about ten minutes, stirring every couple of minutes, until the pasta is tender and the liquid is thick and saucy.
Add the cream cheese to the skillet in chunks, then stir until it has melted into the sauce. Top the pasta with sliced green onions and serve.
—kwc— And here’s a childhood favorite.
Chili Mac
1 tbsp olive oil 1 lb. ground beef 2 cloves garlic 1 small onion 2 tbsp all-purpose flour 1 tbsp chili powder 1/2 tsp smoked paprika 1/2 tsp dried oregano 1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce 2 cups beef broth 2 cups dry macaroni 4 oz. shredded sharp cheddar Brown the ground beef in a large pot over medium along with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Once browned, drain off the excess fat. While the beef is browning, dice the onion and mince the garlic.
Add the diced onion and minced garlic to the browned and drained beef. Continue to cook and stir over medium heat until the onions are soft and translucent. Once the onions have softened, add 2 tbsp of flour and cook for one minute more while constantly stirring. It’s okay if it coats the bottom of the pot, just make sure the heat is not so high that the flour burns.
Add the chili powder, smoked paprika, oregano, tomato sauce, and 2 cups of beef broth (or beef base/ bouillon cubes and water). Stir to dissolve any bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pot.
Add the dry pasta, place a lid on top, and allow it to come up to a simmer. Once it reaches a simmer, reduce the heat to low, and let simmer for about 15 minutes or until the pasta is soft and has absorbed all of the liquid. Stir every few minutes to make sure it’s not sticking on the bottom of the pot. If it gets dry before the pasta has fully softened, add a touch of water.
Once the pasta has finished cooking, turn the heat off and stir in the shredded cheese. Serve hot.
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