Mblah's Bruschetta Chicken Pasta, page

I got a new vintage pan the other day and I wanted to use it of course.

Every time i get a new vintage cooking item I have to use it that night if not the next! I got the one above for $2 bucks at a thrift store. It was in excellent condition. No scratches or wear to the enamel. I don't think it was used all that much, well that is about to change.

I knew I wanted to make chicken in it but not what kind of chicken dish. I went through my pantry to see what I had and I came up with Bruschetta Chicken Pasta. I had a packet of McCormick's Sweet Basil and Oregano Bruschetta Chicken seasoning packet. They had a recipe on the back for it and I didn't like it so I made it my own way. I used the seasoning packet as a marinade and added to the recipe they give. It turned out sooooo good!

Mblah's Bruschetta Chicken Pasta

Ingredients
4 chicken breasts pounded to about a half an inch thick.
6 Roma Tomatoes quartered
12 good sized button or baby bella mushrooms cut in halves
6 fresh basil leaves sliced very thin ( I used 6 big leaves)
1 tbs chopped oregano
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tbs EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tbs minced garlic
1 tbs butter
I can diced tomatoes
1 packet of McCormicks Sweet Basil and Oregano Bruschetta Chicken seasoning packet

1 8oz box of thin spaghetti
1 1/3 cups spaghetti sauce
Mozzarella cheese

For the sauce if you don't have any this is what I did. I took one small 4 ounce can of tomato paste. I strained a can of diced tomatoes with fennel and red peppers (Hunts Brand) into the paste and added about 1/4 cup of water. I heated it on low heat and added some Italian seasonings. I saved the tomatoes I strained for the top of the Bruschetta Chicken.


Directions
Take the McCormick's seasoning packet and mix with 1/3 cup EVOO. Mix chicken breasts in the mixture in a bowl and coat evenly, set in fridge til ready to use.

Boil water and cook all of the pasta for about 8mins. You don't want it fully cooked just tender. When done set aside.

While the water is boiling In a large bowl mix the mushrooms, tomato, basil, oregano, balsamic vinegar and 3 tbs olive oil. Set aside.

Sautee the garlic in the butter and drizzle with EVOO in a LARGE skillet that is at least 2 inches deep and 10inches in diameter. If you use anything smaller the entire meal won't fit unless you cut the recipe in half. Now, while you sautee the garlic heat the spaghetti sauce.

Once the spaghetti sauce is done mix with the pasta then add to the bowl with the mushrooms, tomatoes and so on. Then put in pan with the garlic.


Top with the chicken and diced tomatoes. Cook on medium low heat til chicken is done. It took about 25mins. I didn't really check the time that well but it didn't take long for the chicken and veggies to cook. I kept the lid on it and let the little vent be open slightly. Just check it to make sure it's cooked, time will also vary depending on size of chicken breasts. When it's done top with a little shredded mozzarella and serve.


I served this with my Italian bread and it was yummy! My fiancee hasn't stopped talking about it. LOL I will definitely be adding this to my recipes. I think next time I'll make my own seasoning packet

This is the recipe I was talking about. My God,I must have some of that pie!

A "finer foods" market just opened a chain up by me, so I don't have to drive in to the city for specific ingredients. A few days ago it was cheese for saganaki, but I think I'll make a trip out tonight to grab some 'maters and such for this chicken.

reply to post by mblahnikluver

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I saved the tomatoes I strained for the top of the Bruschetta Chicken.


It's all about juice control...





Both the meal and recipe look tight-right...I'll give it shot and post pics.


Appreciate the 411...

Originally posted by DaTroof
This is the recipe I was talking about. My God,I must have some of that pie!

A "finer foods" market just opened a chain up by me, so I don't have to drive in to the city for specific ingredients. A few days ago it was cheese for saganaki, but I think I'll make a trip out tonight to grab some 'maters and such for this chicken.

That pie was so good and I just put it together because I had raspberries and Dove Dark Chocolate lol My favorite quick and easy pie will always be pudding pie in a graham cracker crust. SOOOO simple to make and inexpensive and it always disappears.

I am not the dessert making type. I never had that much fun making desserts. I can't enjoy them like I can a dinner. I always preferred the main meal side of cooking lol. I am getting into more desserts and I am finding I prefer pastries over pies unless it's a fruit pie.

Tonight i used those Pillsbury Crescent rolls for my dessert. First I diced up some strawberries and mixed the strawberries with a little corn starch, heavy whipping cream and sugar. I put a little in the middle of each crescent roll, pre-rolled of course. I then added a few dark chocolate chips to each and folded them into little packets. I brushed the top with egg whites and sprinkle with powdered sugar then baked them. I have made this dessert in various ways before. It's always something quick and easy and it's sweet but not too filling and heavy. I used black berries and raspberries last time and OMG that was probably my favorite combo of fruits I've used yet.


I wish we had a finer foods market. I'd die! I would be in there all the time. Where I live now has no "finer foods" shops I can think of. Where I moved from has quite a few and it made it much easier to make a lot of my European foods. Living where I am now makes it hard to find ingredients. I did find a Greek market thanks to the produce guy at my local grocery store. The guy even ordered ingredients I needed for a Greek dish. He said he liked that I was sticking with traditional ingredients. It was something I hadn't made and it required a lot of Greek ingredients and substituting with the normal substitutes would have altered the dish. I wish we had an Italian, French and German market here. I'd be set!

reply to post by facelift

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Thanks and you are welcome I look forward to how it came out for you and what changes, if any, you make.

I never like to throw anything away and my fiancee pointed that out tonight with what I made. If I can use something in a recipe I save it and use it. I don't like throwing anything left over away. If I hadn't used those strained tomatoes in this dish I would have used them the next morning in an omelette.

reply to post by mblahnikluver

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This place has EVERYTHING. Asian, European, Mexican/Latin, Kosher, Halal, Indonesian, eeeeeeeeeverything!

It helps that Chicago is an international hub with diverse suburbs and immigrant populations. I'll never run out of new things to eat.

Originally posted by DaTroof
reply to post by mblahnikluver

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This place has EVERYTHING. Asian, European, Mexican/Latin, Kosher, Halal, Indonesian, eeeeeeeeeverything!

It helps that Chicago is an international hub with diverse suburbs and immigrant populations. I'll never run out of new things to eat.

Oh I'd be in heaven there! I love Indian and Mediterranean food but finding true ingredients around here is impossible. I would have to order them online and they are just too expensive online. Next area I move to has to have a decent grocery market of all varieties!

Our local health food store has a pretty decent dried herbs and spices section that is all fresh. I am happy I found that at least!

The area I'm in has a Beer World...that should tell you something about their priorities lol Food variety isn't one of them. lol

reply to post by mblahnikluver

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Well now, there's nothing wrong with having a nice selection of beers to choose from!

If there are more chefs like you in your area, I'm sure an entrepreneuring grocer can find success. Glad you can get higher quality herbs. I cringe when my friends go to Wal-Mart to get cilantro when there are authentic supermercados a few miles east. Sure, the neighborhoods look crummy, but the people work hard and appreciate that I respect their culture and language. Best queso fresco you'll ever find, too.

Originally posted by DaTroof
reply to post by mblahnikluver

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Well now, there's nothing wrong with having a nice selection of beers to choose from!

LOL and I feel the same way about pasta

If there are more chefs like you in your area, I'm sure an entrepreneuring grocer can find success.

I don't know many people who cook like I do. I have a couple friends who cook but they cook different meals. I make a lot of Italian foods. I could eat it everyday! We do have one locally owned Italian restaurant I really like. My fiancee jokes that it's the only place I'll eat and that I'm a picky eater. I'm not picky, I just cook so I have a standard when I go out to eat. If I can make it better I won't eat there lol. I prefer mom and pop owned places over chain restaurants but I do like Chili's and I did have a really damn good steak at Longhorn recently. I had never been there before and I would actually eat there again. My meal was cooked perfectly, I was a bit shocked lol.

Glad you can get higher quality herbs. I cringe when my friends go to Wal-Mart to get cilantro when there are authentic supermercados a few miles east. Sure, the neighborhoods look crummy, but the people work hard and appreciate that I respect their culture and language. Best queso fresco you'll ever find, too.

Yea I don't have a problem with herbs because there are many easy places to get them here. It's usually cheese problems I run into or different ingredients for Indian/Mediterranean food. If I lived an hour north where I use to, I'd have all kinds of specialty markets to choose from. I look forward to moving back there just for the fact I can make so many more foods. lol

I dont do any grocery shopping at Wal Mart. They never have green beans and their produce is always half dead where I am. I use to grow my own tomatoes and herbs til I moved and didn't have a back yard for it. I am going to try and get some herbs to grow on my porch but there is so much sun I have to figure out a way to shade them lol.

We have a local guy who has been in business for like 15yrs and he sets up in a parking lot with his produce truck. He has homemade flavored honey that is grown locally and all his veggies and herbs and fruits are from FL local farmers. I like giving him business over any other place and he has a GREAT deal on strawberries from Plant City here. MMMMM!

When I was in Italy it was cool because I found out the local stores carried local farmers products. You could see the farming land driving around Italy. The person I was with told me how it worked there and I wish we did something like that here! It was nice that you were giving back to your local businesses in your area and not some huge corporation that doesn't really care. If I can buy locally I will no matter how it looks in the neighborhood. lol Some areas are rough yes but damn do they have the best products!

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