When summer begrudgingly gives way to fall and nights grow longer and colder, dinner time thoughts begin to gravitate towards simple, classic comfort foods. Family dinners and meals with friends at home become more and more frequent as the sun sets earlier and earlier. Although the economy is struggling lately and Americans are choosing for dinners out to be a more rare occasional indulgence that it ever was in the past, the desire to eat well has not shrunk with the American pocket book. Americans still desire that $20 a plate meal that is rich, indulgent, and are generally regarded as a reward or a special occasion. Now for the price of a single entrée, a family of four can have a decadently indulgent, healthy, hearty meal, usually with leftovers for another day.
In answer to the age old question of “What’s For Dinner?” one must account for the various taste pallets that are trying to be catered to. A recent survey showed that eighty percent of American children between the ages of four and ten years old will list spaghetti, macaroni and cheese, or chicken nuggets within their top ten list of favorite foods. These meals are also staples on the kids’ menu at most sit-down, full service restaurants.
Portobello Stuffed Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo combines the gooey cheese texture of macaroni and cheese for the kids, the complex carbohydrates of the spaghetti for the feeling of fullness and contentment, and more protein from the chicken than is normally found in chicken nuggets. It is an almost magical combination that is sure to satisfy almost any picky eater.
Portabello Stuffed Chicken Fettucinni Alfredo
Ingredients:
- 4 Boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2-3 Large Portobello mushrooms, sliced
- Garlic – 4 cloves whole, 2 cloves minced
- Fettuccini Noodles – 1 pound
- Water – 16 cups
- Cream – 1 pint
- Assiago or Parmesan Cheese – 1 pound (shredded)
- Butter – 1 pound (softened)
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Optional – Shallots, shitake mushrooms, button mushrooms, rosemary
Preparation:
- Pour water into a pasta pot.
- Add salt (1 Tbsp) and turn pasta water to medium.
- In a sauté pan, sweat sliced Portobello mushrooms with 2 cloves of minced garlic (and shallots, additional mushrooms optional) in a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.
- Slice a pocket in the chicken breast lengthwise (think of a pita).
- Stuff chicken with 1 whole clove of garlic each and mushroom mixture.
- Place chicken on George Foreman style grill.
- Turn the temperature on the pasta water to high.
- When the pasta water comes to a boil, add pasta and cook 10-12 minutes, or to desired doneness, stirring occasionally.
- In a large saucepan melt half of the butter.
- Add half of the cheese and slowly stir in half of the cream.
- Once all ingredients have thoroughly mixed, slowly add the remaining butter, cream, and cheese, stirring constantly.
- When pasta is done cooking, remove the sauce from the heat and let sit. The sauce will thicken some as the pasta is drained.
- Drain pasta and add to sauce.
- Remove chicken from the grill and slice.
- Serve sliced chicken over pasta and garnish with rosemary if desired.
Makes 4-6 servings.
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