Creamy One-Pot Chicken and Mushroom Pasta

Serves 4 Time: 45 minutes

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 shallot or small onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 cups mushrooms of your choice (2-3 varieties) cleaned, trimmed, and sliced
• 8 oz pasta like mini farfalle or penne, or long pasta broken into bits
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup dry white wine, dry hard cider, or water
• 3 to 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 boneless chicken breasts*
• Freshly grated Parmesan
• Chopped fresh parsley

*I pre-cook the chicken and cut into bite-size pieces or use shredded chicken from a store-bought roaster.

Directions:

• Put 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. When hot, add shallot, garlic and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms soften and begin to brown on edges, about 10 minutes. Add dry pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is glossy and coated with oil, 2 to 3 minutes. Add some salt and pepper, then the wine (cider or water). Stir and let liquid bubble away.

• Ladle veg/chicken stock into skillet, stirring as you add. Stir frequently over medium heat.

• Taste pasta about 10 minutes after you add it; it should be tender but with a tiny bit of crunch. When pasta is about 3 to 4 minutes away from being done, add chicken and stir to combine. Continue to cook until chicken is done and pasta is how you like it. Adjust seasoning to taste. Add handful or more of Parmesan, garnish with parsley.