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CHICKEN ALFREDO BAKED ZITI

We were going to visit relatives at their lake place and they wanted pasta for dinner, like Alfredo.  Jesse said I make really good red sauces, but have never made a great white sauce.  I kind of agreed - it just wasn't something I did often because when I had it wasn't really special enough to stand out.

Never to be discouraged, I did a little research and found some recipes for Chicken Alfredo Baked Ziti.  Using ziti in a casserole version fit our purposes, rather than fettuccine with Alfredo sauce.  Using ideas from two pins (see Pinspirations at bottom), I created my own .  I made each component and stored them separately overnight.  In the morning I layered them in a cake pan and packed them in the cooler to be made that evening in the oven.

It was AWESOME!  They were all impressed, especially Jesse.  He's never been a huge fan of chicken or Alfredo because it tends to be bland.  He liked this so much, we decided to make it for dinner for our household this evening (the leftovers from last night went to the relatives).  This is a thick, hearty dish that will fill you up and keep you full for awhile.

Ingredients:

1 - 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
10-12 oz sliced mushrooms (I used baby bellas)
1 box from asparagus cuts (Green Giant)
1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese
2 cups Mozzarella cheese
1 lb box Penne (or Ziti) noodles (I used whole grain)
1/2 cup white wine (I used Chardonnay)
1 cup chicken broth
16 oz carton of heavy whipping cream (not pictured)
4 tbsp flour (not pictured)
1 onion, chopped
2 tbsp minced garlic (I used the stuff from a jar)
Olive oil

Seasonings (to taste):
Black Pepper
Salt
Garlic Salt
Lawry's Seasoning
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Italian Seasoning
Oregano
Parsley Flakes


I pounded the chicken breasts to thin them out a little and to make them approximately the same thickness (whether  you do this or not is up to you).  Season both side with salt & pepper.  Sear on both sides in medium high pan, with olive oil.  I added other seasonings to each side once in the pan.  I only cooked them to about 130 degrees, about 30-35 degrees less than completely done.  No worries - this is not unsafe.  If I served it straight like this, it would be unsafe, but they will be sliced and baked in the oven to finish them off.  Remove from pan and set aside.


Cook ziti (or penne) to just before al dente (about 8 minutes for the kind I used, which was supposed to be 9 minutes for al dente).  Rinse with cold water and drain.


Add olive oil, diced onions, mushrooms and asparagus to the same pan the chicken was in.   Saute until onions are translucent and mushrooms soften a little.


Add white wine, let boil and scrape the bottom to scrape up all the flavor from the chicken.  Boil for 2-3 minutes to let the alcohol burn off.


Add flour to pan and mix.  Cook another 2-3 minutes to cook the flour (so you don't get the taste of raw flour in your dish).


Add the chicken stock and whipping cream.  Bring to a boil, stirring frequently and adding seasonings to taste.


Once boiling, add 1 cup Parmesan and 1/2 cup Mozzarella cheeses.  Stir to mix together.  Reduce heat and simmer 4-5 minutes until it starts to thicken.


Slice chicken into strips.  Cut to desired size.


Spray 9x13 inch cake pan with non-stick spray.  Layer just enough sauce to cover the bottom and add half the noodles.  Then layer half the chicken, half the sauce and half of the remainder of both cheeses.

Repeat layers, ending with both cheeses on top.


Cover with non-stick foil and bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.  Let cool about 15 minutes before serving.


 YUMMY!

Pinsperations:

Chicken Alfredo Baked Ziti from Creme de la Crumb - http://www.lecremedelacrumb.com/chicken-alfredo-baked-penne/

Chicken Alfredo Baked Ziti from Tip Hero - http://tiphero.com/chicken-alfredo-baked-ziti/?utm_content=buffer09ae9&utm_medium=social&utm_source=pinterest.com&utm_campaign=buffer

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