What could be better on a cold winter night then lighting a fire, turning up the music and making a one-pot pasta dish?
I love artichokes, and will use any excuse to use them in a dish. I actually almost always have some open in my fridge to use in omelets, salads, sandwiches (they are so yummy on egg sandwiches with grainy mustard). I also have a family to feed where half of them want pasta at every meal, and the other half wants meat. Voila! Everyone is happy with this dish.
The first step is to brown the artichokes. This brings out there flavor and the cartelized color is so pretty.
Then you remove them from the pan (I doubled this recipe, so I used a heavy-bottomed pot for this recipe).
You add oil to the pan, season chicken with garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper, and brown on both sides. Remove the chicken from the pan and sauté onions, then add garlic and oregano. Then add tomatoes and broccoli and season with salt and pepper. Finally add lemon juice and chicken broth (which adds a lot of flavor but you could use water in a pinch) and the pasta, cover and let cook for 10 minutes. Then add the chicken back in and you’re done. If there is too much liquid you can cook it off, and if the pasta seems al dente you can add a little more broth and let it cook for a few minutes.
Serve with plenty of shaved parmesan cheese on top, and crusty bread. This is a great dish for a busy weeknight but it’s also nice enough for company. The leftovers keep very well and get better the next day. The lemon, garlic and oregano add lots of flavor. I also added red pepper flakes to mine. Crumbled feta or olives on top would also be delicious.
The best part is this dish is pretty healthy, especially if you use whole wheat pasta (which my kids cannot abide so I didn’t.)
Hope this dinner warms up your insides and is an easy meal to add to your dinner rotation! It is delicious and easy.
Happy Eating, xoxo Katie
One-Pot Chicken and Artichoke Cavatappi
Serves 4 (I doubled this recipe)
INGREDIENTS
- Olive oil
- 15-ounce can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
- 1pound chicken tenders
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1-2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 1 small onion chopped, about 1 cup
- 2 tablespoons chopped garlic, about 5 cloves
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, divided
- 3 ounces julienne-cut sun-dried tomatoes
- 3 cups broccoli, fresh or frozen (you can use kale or spinach instead)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, about 1/2 lemon, plus more to taste
- 2.5 cups chicken broth
- 8 ounces cavatappi, regular or whole wheat (you can use penne or other shape)
- 2 ounces shaved parmesan, (optional)
Directions:
Heat a large non-stick skillet with high sides (or a large pot if you are doubling the recipe) over medium heat.
Heat 1 T. olive oil. Working in two batches, add artichokes and char until dark golden—3 to 4 minutes. Remove to a plate.
Season chicken with 1 teaspoon each garlic powder, onion powder and salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
Heat another 1 T. olive oil in pan, add chicken and cook 5 minutes, turning half way through cooking. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Heat an additional 1 T. olive oil, then add onions, garlic, and 2 teaspoons oregano. Cook, stirring, until onions are softened and golden, 4 minutes.
Stir in tomatoes and broccoli, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Add 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 2 1/4 cups of chicken broth. Stir in cavatappi, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces.
Remove cover, stir in chicken and artichokes. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 5 more minutes or until pasta is al dente and chicken is reheated. Remove cover and cook off any excess liquid if necessary. Serve topped with parmesan (if using), remaining oregano, and more salt and black pepper to taste.
Recipe adapted from Skinnytaste.com