10.31.2020
CHICKEN BREASTS WITH PASTA AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH with a FROZEN FRUIT SORBET for DESSERT
Gluten and Lactose-Free
Serves 3 - 4
I use whatever kind of pasta is at hand or I feel in the mood to make! not spaghetti or fettuccine or linguini, but any other shape.
I wrote the above paragraph about 30 years ago! Since then, I have changed my mind! Now I think spaghetti, fettuccine or linguini works the BEST if you julienne the vegetables (I break the pasta into 2” sections before cooking) and the other shapes go best with diced vegetables.
When I use penne or something of the sort, I dice the vegetables into ½" cubes.
Cut the butternut squash where it begins to round out. Peel the straight part and cut off the stem end, weigh out ¾ lb from this part and cut into matchsticks ¼" thick. *
I served the lemon sauce on the side because sometimes Peter does not like lemon.
If I decide to blanch the squash while I am making the dish, I use the boiling blanching water to drop the pasta in to cook to add more of a butternut taste to the dish.
I would suggest a frozen fruit sorbet-like dessert (homemade of course!) to end this lovely meal. In case you forgot how to make that…**
Measure, and prep what you will need:
Vegetables:
Gluten-free spaghetti, linguini or fettuccini – 6 oz. Cook in boiling water
Olive oil - 1 T
Onion - finely chopped, 1 ½ c (or cut vertically)
Garlic – minced, 1 T
Butternut squash – matchsticks, ¾ lb
Red bell pepper – matchsticks, ½ to 1 c
Poblano or Cubanelle pepper – matchsticks ¼ to ½ c (green bells are fine, I don’t like them. Remember that poblanos can be spicy and adjust the red pepper flakes accordingly.)
Kosher salt and ground black pepper – to taste
Red pepper flakes - ½ t (optional or to taste)
Parsley - finely chopped, 2 T
Parmesan cheese - 2 to 4 T grated or flaked (optional, vegan)
Chicken:
Chicken breast – ¾ lb breast, skinned and boned, cut in thin slices. Or chicken tenders cut in half. Lengthwise or crosswise.
Baking soda – 1 t
Water – 1 t
Olive oil – 1 to 2 t
Thyme - 1/4 t dried or 2 sprigs fresh leaves removed, about 2 t
Parsley – chopped, 2 T
Garlic - finely minced or – pressed, 4 t
Lemon – 1 zested and juiced
Red pepper flakes – ¼ t (optional)
Kosher salt and pepper
Ghee - 1 T (vegan option)
Let’s get cooking:
Cook the pasta.
Cook on a medium-hot skillet in olive oil until the onion is just beginning to turn golden (I prefer them not limp) Sprinkle a pinch of salt to the onions, add 2 t garlic stir well and cook for 30 seconds. Remove to a plate and set aside.
Add a bit more oil if needed, add crushed red pepper and stir add the squash and the peppers with a pinch of salt and stir fry for 2 minutes or until just done add parsley. Remove to the plate with the onions and set aside. Add the pasta and toss to mix everything add salt and pepper to taste.
Plate the dish, sprinkle parmesan on top and leave in a warm oven.
Yay for Vitamin A! and let us not forget the calcium!
Use the same skillet for the chicken, so don’t wash or wipe it off.
Mix the baking soda with the water and toss it with the chicken. Rub chicken with olive oil salt, pepper, parsley, thyme, garlic, and lemon zest. Stir fry on high heat for 2 to 3 minutes or until just done. Remove and set aside. (if you use the same plate you used for the vegetables less to wash up.)
Turn the heat to the lowest add ghee and 2 t garlic to the pan, when heated, stir in lemon juice, return the chicken to the pan and stir to coat and heat the chicken with the sauce and place on top of the vegetable pasta mix.
Serve with a salad of your choice or not. With this dish I like sliced tomato, radishes and scallions, diced cucumber and avocado tossed with salt, pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice. As there is a load of vegetables in this dish you can skip the salad if you wish.
Garlic bread goes well on the side if you are very hungry or want to feed more people.
*The rest of the squash should be pitted, peeled, and cut in any manner you want, I prefer to cut in 2” or so chunks, blanch for 2 minutes, and drop into an ice bath to cool. Scoop out the cooled chunks and leave to dry on a tray covered with a kitchen towel and freeze in one layer and then transfer to a freezer bag. Now you have butternut squash chunks to use in any way you want. (if you need to, leave to do this until after you finish the dish you are making. The squash will be ok for a day or so in the refrigerator in a freezer bag.)
** cut and freeze your fruit. when frozen, place in your food processor or blender with about ¼ c of milk (Yogurt works too) for 2 c of frozen fruit, use a little more if you need; add sweetener of your choice and process till the whole thing turns to an ice cream-like consistency. A sorbet. (a little lemon or lime juice will freshen up the taste if you decide to add fruit juice or water instead of milk.)
Enjoy!