With a lighter hockey schedule this weekend, and finally clearing out the flu bug that plagued our littles last week, #DadChef and I had fun cooking up our Valentine’s Day recipe we’ve been promising you guys. No matching couples’ tees this time, but we snagged the kids matching aprons for kicks – they weren’t amused 😉
When we polled you on IG stories, it was a 50/50 tie between those who wanted a pasta dish and those who wanted a meat & veg combo. So…we had to make a Chef-ecutive decision, and decided to try remaking a dish we used to enjoy on Valentine’s Day back in our University days at a little resto in London, ON called “La Costa” – Sundried Tomato & Chicken Alfredo Farfalle.
We nailed down a lighter version of a typical alfredo sauce, and think you and your kiddos will love trying this one. So simple to make too – honestly the hardest part was figuring out the measurements to write in this recipe since we usually wing it in the kitchen and cook from scratch & to taste.
We used kid-favoured “Farfalle” pasta that looks like bowties and whose name means “Butterflies” in Italian in lieu of the typical long pasta (Fettuccine) used in creamier pasta recipes, and if you’re kids aren’t into the sundried-tomato sauce, put some plain aside after cooking and toss with butter or olive oil & some parmesan cheese.
Sundried Tomato + Chicken Farfalle Alfredo - Lighter Version
Ingredients
- 900 g Farfalle Pasta (*use Whole-wheat for healthier spin*)
- 270 mL Jar of Sun-dried Tomatoes in seasoned oild (*use 3/4 of sundried tomato halves and chop finely*)
- 4 tbsp seasoned oil from sun-dried tomato jar
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 0.5 kg skinless, boneless chicken breast or chicken tenders (*about 2 chicken breasts*)
- 4 cloves fresh garlic minced
- 1/2 tbsp red pepper chili flakes less/more to taste
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour (*substitute brown rice, quinoa, or chickpea flour for healthier spin*)
- 2 cups chicken broth low sodium
- 1.5 cups milk (*we used 1%*)
- 1/4 cup light PHILADELPHIA cream cheese
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/3 cup mozzarella shredded
- 3/4 cup parmigiano reggiano cheese freshly grated
- 1/2 tbsp EACH dried parsley, dried basil, garlic powder & salt less/more to taste
- 3 twists ground black pepper
Garnish
- freshly grated parmigiano reggiano
- fresh basil or Italian parsley
Instructions
- Heat olive oil on medium heat in large cooking pan. Add cubed chicken chunks and shake on garlic powder. Cover & let cook all the way through (*approx. 5 mins*). Set aside on plate or in bowl when finished.
- Meanwhile, start heating up water to boil pasta in large pot according to directions on package (*cook 1-2 mins under recommended time for "al dente" texture*). Pasta should be cooked around the same time the sauce is ready! (drain and set aside when done).
- Heat sun-dried tomato oil on medium heat in same pan. Add sun-dried tomatoes, minced garlic & red pepper flakes and saute approx. 1-2 mins. Shake in flour and cook another 2 mins, stirring continuously (use a whisk for great results).
- Turn down heat to low & add chicken broth (keep stirring). Whisk cornstarch with milk, then add to pan along with the tomato paste, dried parsley + basil, garlic powder, salt & black pepper. Bring sauce to a simmer & continue heating/stirring until sauce thickens (approx. 4-5 mins).
- On low heat, add in cream cheese, parmesan cheese, and mozzarella cheese until all are melted. The Farfalle pasta should be cooked at this point, so either add it to the pan and toss sauce/pasta together, or spoon sauce onto pasta in the cooking pot.
- Serve plated or in a pasta bowl & garnish with extra freshly grated parmesan cheese and/or fresh basil/Italian parsley. Buon appetito!
We hope you guys enjoy this one as much as we did, and if you’re having a family dinner at home on Valentine’s Day, get the little ones involved in prepping some of the ingredients like pressing the garlic to make it a family affair!
For those that wanted a meat + veg combo, we’ve got a tasty one we tried on the sheet-pan coming at ya next week!
Buon appetito!
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