Creamy Chicken & Kale with Goat Cheese Pasta

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You need this in your life.

Because now that it is in my life, I want to make it again.  Again and Again. Then Again.

Do you ever come home at the end of a busy day and just crave a good pasta? This happens to me most days. A very unfortunate craving.  Especially for my waistline. I really should run more. But then eating pasta is so much more enjoyable than running.  However, my run with my aunts recently was especially fun! We did The Color Run  5K which they say is the “Happiest Run on the Planet”.

I would happen to agree!

 

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For my first 5K, I can report I didn’t die.  I really was thinking I would die. I don’t run, really ever.  I signed up for this 5K and another just a few days after, back in March in hopes that I could motivate my self to become a runner. Or at least run once and a while. 4 months later, I had not trained at all, and the run was upon us.

Guaranteed to die.

But look at me, even jumping in the air after run/walking 3.1 miles!  Alive to tell you all the story.

Only a few short days later, I made this pasta. I guess you can take the carbs away from the girl, but the girl will always find the carbs 😉

My BFF Amy asked me recently to make something with Kale on the blog.  I have only experimented with kale, and added it to my smoothies. Have you done that before?  You can’t even taste the kale, and it adds that extra super food bump to any smoothie.  So good! Try it. You won’t regret it.

With my farmers market bunch of kale, a huge craving for pasta, and extra heavy whipping cream from making frosting, this pasta was born.

This might be one of my more step intensive recipes, but I have full confidence in ya’ll.

Lets get started.

Boil some water with salt for your lovely bowtie noodles. Then with some olive oil, salt and pepper put your chicken up. I am obsessed with my Ikea grill pan, its nonstick surface is great for cooking with little oil and easy clean up. I make all kinds of things in it: bacon, hash browns, hamburgers, chicken, veggies, anything really.  Moving on from my profession of love for this pan.

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At the same time you will want to saute your mushrooms and garlic first because they take longer to cook through than your kale.

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While the mushrooms are reducing down, pasta cooking and your chicken cooking through, go start your sauce.  Melt your butter, and whisk in the flour to help thicken your sauce. Add in heavy cream and garlic, then whisk until boiling. The cheese will go in once the sauce is boiling and starting to thicken.

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The last step will be to cook down your kale with your mushrooms. Can you also see my make shift lid on my grill pan?  The grill pan is great for cooking, but thick chicken takes some time to cook through so some added heat was needed. A cookie sheet did the trick!

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Once all parts are cooked, you can mix together the pasta, sauce and veggies back in the same pot the noodles were cooked in. Pour pasta into bowls and top with chicken.  The chicken can always be cut up and added, but I think it looks much prettier to cut and lay on top. Oh and don’t forget the goat cheese. Sprinkle it on top to add a nice sharp kick  to your pasta. Delicious!

Time for Dinner!

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Creamy Chicken & Kale with Goat Cheese Pasta

yields 4 servings

  • 4- boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 lb pasta, bowtie or penne
  • 4 cups kale, roughly chopped
  • 1 pint baby portabella mushrooms, thickly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 cloves chopped garlic, 2 for sauce & 2 for veggies
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 4 tablespoons butter, salted
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup parmesan & asiago cheese mix
  • 1/2 cup goat cheese
  • Fresh cracked black pepper
  • Salt
  1. In a large saute pan or grill pan, on medium heat add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Salt and pepper chicken breasts. Add chicken to hot oil and cook on both sides for 3 minutes each. Cover pan with lid, and continue cooking until chicken is done in the center- times will depend on thickness of your chicken.  Check doneness by cutting the thickest part of the chicken open with a knife and checking for pinkness. 
  2.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and pasta. Cook according to box instructions. Drain and return to pot once done. 
  3. In a large saute pan, on medium heat add 1 tablespoon olive oil.  Add mushrooms and garlic to hot oil.  Saute until mushrooms are softened. Add Kale and saute until Kale wilts, but still is crunchy. Sprinkle with salt.
  4. In a medium sauce pan, melt butter with garlic on medium high heat. Whisk in flour to butter until smooth.  Add cream and bring to a light boil, frequently stirring. Turn heat to low and add fresh black pepper  and parmesan asiago cheese mix. Stir until cheese is melted and remove from heat.
  5. In large pasta pot, combine sauce and noodles.  Toss in cooked kale and mushrooms.
  6. Serve bed of pasta topped with chicken. Sprinkle with goat cheese before serving.

 

 

 


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