Adapted from a Good Housekeeping Magazine Recipe
February 2009 Issue
Posted at http://mynew30.blogspot.com/
12 ounces of linguine (can substitute spaghetti noodles)
2 large pinches of kosher salt for the pasta pot
2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil
1 pound of ground chicken breast
Salt and pepper
1 large carrot, chopped
1 large stalk of celery, chopped
1/2 of a large onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme, crushed
Pinch of dried basil
Couple shakes of Slap Ya Mama Cajun seasoning
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 (28 ounce) can of whole tomatoes, broken up
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt
10 turns of the pepper grinder
1/2 cup of milk
1/3 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
Small palmful of dried parsley
Put on a generously salted pot of water on for the pasta. When you drain the pasta, be sure to reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water. You'll need some of that later.
Meanwhile, add about a tablespoon of olive oil to a medium sized skillet and heat over medium heat. Add the chicken and lightly season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 6 minutes or until there is no pink remaining. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set it aside.
Warm another tablespoon of the olive oil in the same skillet. Add the carrots, celery and onion and cook for about 8 minutes or until onions just begin to get soft and translucent. Do not brown them! Add in the thyme, basil, Cajun seasoning, and garlic and cook for another couple of minutes.
Pulse the tomatoes in the food processor a few times to break them up. Stir the tomatoes into the veggies; add salt and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the cooked chicken, add the milk and heat through.
Drain the pasta, reserving at least 1/2 cup of the pasta water, and return the pasta to the pot. Dump the sauce on top, add the Parmesan, parsley and 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss to coat. If it is still too dry, add a bit more of the reserved pasta water.
Garnish with extra Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of parsley.
