Ever bite into a piece of asparagus and feel like you were trying to chew through a tree branch? Chances are the asparagus was not trimmed before cooking. Each stalk of asparagus contains a woody end that should be cut off and discarded. Determining where the woody part ends and the tender, delicious part begins can be challenging. The traditional method of bending each stalk until it snaps and discarding the bottom piece can waste good vegetable. Instead, use a paring knife and cut right above where the stalks turn from white to green.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces uncooked whole wheat or other higher-fiber penne pasta
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into ½ inch strips
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 pounds fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 bunch of green onions, sliced thin
- ½ sweet Vidalia onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped oregano
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
- 1-2 tablespoons flour
- ½ c dry white wine
- ½ cup evaporated milk or heavy cream
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup frozen peas
- ½ c grated parmesan cheese
Directions
- Boil pasta until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in sauté pan and add cut-up chicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook until internal temperature of 165 or until chicken is no longer pink in color.
- Remove chicken from pan, leaving pan drippings behind. If needed, add remaining tablespoon of olive oil to pan. Place onions, pepper, asparagus, and fresh herbs in pan and sauté until onions are clear and remaining vegetables are softened.
- Sprinkle flour over vegetables and cook until all flour is moistened, 1-2 minutes.
- Add wine, and chicken broth to pan and stir, scraping bottom of pan until liquid starts to thicken.
- Slowly add evaporated milk/cream and parmesan cheese to pan. Stir constantly until thickened and creamy.
- Add peas, cooked pasta, and chicken back into pan. Stir until coated.
- Garnish with additional cut fresh herbs if desired.
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8-9 | Serving size: 1 cup | Calories: 199 | Fat: 6g | Saturated fat: 2g | Carbohydrate: 15g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 184g | Protein: 16g
Recipe provided by Michelle Eaton, MS, RD, ThedaCare
