Mediterranean Chicken and Pasta

I do like finding more ways to use chicken, it seems to be a big part of out weekly meals. It also works so well for leftovers and lunches. If I fix beef it is usually steaks, weather it is skirt steak prepared on the stove top in a hot cast iron skillet or grill pan...quick but messy...or a nice rib eye or porterhouse on the grill...which I am the one that mans the grill! So I hope you won't get tired of chicken recipes. We usually eat many vegetarian dishes too, but not intentionally we just like it. I am lucky that my family is pretty much receptive to anything that I make or "try out" on them.

This one is not that unusual, so I hope you all like it!

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
4 chicken breasts
1/4 cup flour
3 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1 small onion or shallot chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
8 oz asparagus cut into 2" pieces
1 teaspoon Turkish oregano*
1 teaspoons basil, more if using fresh
2 tablespoons parsley
2 tablespoons white wine
1/4 cup cream
salt and pepper to taste
8 oz angel hair pasta

Directions:
Boil water for pasta in a pasta pot, fitted with a strainer. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cut the chicken into strips or pieces and in a zip-lock plastic bag place the chicken with the flour seasoned with salt and pepper, shake it to coat the chicken. Brown chicken strips until no longer pink -- about 3 minutes each side. (If you have already cooked chicke you can shred it or dice it and add it to the dish that way). Add sun-dried tomatoes, onion, garlic, and asparagus to skillet. Saute for 2 minutes. In the meantime, add the fresh pasta to boiling water, cook until al dente, about 5 minutes.

Now add the wine, oregano, basil and parsley to the skillet. Saute 1 minute then stir in the cream. You can use some pasta water if you would like more liquid in the sauce. Strain the pasta and transfer to a large pasta bowl. Add the chicken saute to the pasta and toss. Season with oregano, salt and pepper before serving

*edited to add some links to Turkish Oregano


I added it all to the pan together, cooked it until the sauce was the right thickness to my liking.

The asparagus was added just because that is what I had. You can add artichoke hearts, and kalamata olives and even feta cheese if you prefer. I added already cooked chicken this time.

It might of been prettier if I place the pasta in a bowl and laid the chicken and sauce over the top, but this is fine for family. A nice, tasty, pretty quick meal!


You know I have to sneak a beach picture in here:


When the sea birds hang out at the beach at sunset they usually all face the same way...aaah one oddball :)