Ainsley's Artichoke and Chicken Dish

Ok, guys, I am starting to scare myself! Hee. Not really. I am just totally psyched that, for the second day in a row, I created a tasty tidbit. My husband, who used to be a chef, was totally impressed! This dinner rocked, even if I do say so myself! :-)

Ingredients:
1-2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (you could use breasts if you prefer white meat)
1-14 oz. can of artichoke hearts in brine (if you get the ones that are marinated in oil, it will change the flavor of the dish - don't know how that would taste.)
1 c. diced tomatoes (I used the ones from a can)
1 shallot, chopped
1 cup of vegetable or chicken broth
1 small bunch of parsley, chopped
2 tsp. of crushed red pepper flakes (of course you can adjust this measurement to taste, or omit)
1/2 c. Sargento Bistro blends shredded cheese in Mozzarella & Asiago w/ roasted garlic flavor
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (for cooking the chicken)
3/4 lb. of your favorite pasta (I used Ziti)

Begin by filling a large pot with water for cooking the pasta. (Take a tip from Rachael Ray and have that water boiling and waiting for you.) Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the oil, and when the skillet is hot, add the chicken. Season with salt and pepper. (You can cook the thighs in whole pieces and then dice, or dice and then cook.) While the chicken is cooking, chop the shallot and parsley, set aside. Begin cooking the pasta. Drain when cooked. Open the artichokes, and drain the liquid. Give the artichokes a rough chop to make the pieces bitesize, and discard any tough outer layers. Using a strainer, drain the liquid from the can of diced tomatoes (if using fresh tomatoes, seed and chop). When the chicken is cooked through, remove from the pan and place on a paper towel lined plate to absorb excess oil. Set aside. Reduce heat to medium and return skillet to stove. Add the shallots to the skillet (add some extra virgin olive oil if needed) and saute til soft. Add the artichokes, tomatoes, and red pepper flakes. Cook for about a minute. Then, add the broth. Gently scrape the bottom of the skillet to release the chicken drippings. Allow mixture to heat completely. Add the diced chicken and the pasta. Sprinkle in the parsley and the cheese. Give the mixture a gentle toss to lightly melt the cheese. Enjoy!

Comments

Unknown said…
You know, I made something similar to that once with the artichoke hearts in the olive oil, and it was good. Also good are the frozen ones you can buy at Trader Joes.

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