Eat My Charlotte
Maybe it's the baby growing inside of me or maybe it's just a phase, but I've been loving pasta lately. And even though I'm perfectly happy some nights with some ground beef or turkey and some jarred sauce topping my pasta, this recipe was developed one night when I wanted something a little more interesting. That, and I had a couple red peppers on their last leg wasting away in my fridge.
Necessity truly is the mother of invention.
This simple but delicious dish comes together effortlessly because your blender does all the hard work for you. Feel free to use a food processor if you don't have a blender on hand.
CREAMY GOAT CHEESE AND RED PEPPER SAUCE WITH CHICKEN & LINGUINE (serves 4)
Goat cheese and red peppers make a perfect match in this easy-to-make creamy sauce.
2 large red bell peppers
1/3 cup goat cheese
1/4 cup fat free Greek yogurt
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon dried basil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 pound chicken breast
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 oz. whole wheat linguini
additional salt to taste
Slice red bell pepper into large slices, place on a baking sheet, and broil on 500 degrees until edges begin to turn black. Remove pan from oven, flip peppers over, and continue to broil until the edges begin to blacken. Remove from pan and place into a blender. Also add goat cheese, yogurt, garlic, basil, and salt to the blender and blend until the sauce reaches a smooth consistency.
Cut chicken breast into bite size pieces. Warm olive oil in a pan or skillet on medium heat. Add chicken to pan and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Saute chicken, stirring often, until chicken is cooked thoroughly.
Meanwhile, fill a large pot with water, add some salt to the water and bring to a boil on the stove top. Add linguini and boil until pasta is at desired consistency or according to package directions. Once fully cooked, drain pasta and place back in pot. Add sauce and chicken to pot and toss to coat the pasta and chicken with the sauce. Add additional salt to taste if desired. Plate or place in a serving dish and sprinkle with additional dried basil if desired.
Kelly Davis is a blogger, freelance writer, food enthusiast, and native North Carolinian. When she's not training for a race or cooking something delicious in the kitchen, she's writing, reading, snuggling her dachshund, or plotting her next project. You can keep up with Kelly's antics and recipes on her blog, Foodie Fresh.
