Are you the kid who has been cooking since you were 2?
Do you know how to boil water, use a real knife and clean up after yourself?
Are you the kid who watches hours and hours of Food Network and dreams of having your own cooking show?
Do you love your mother?
If that describes you, then this post is for you!
Mother’s Day is coming this Sunday and there’s absolutely no better reason to cook something for her. It’s her day to relax and be treated like a queen because she is very special. No one loves you more than your mama (and dad)!
Besides your mom’s love for you, there is no greater love than pasta and chicken. Cook this for your mom and get ready for lots of hugs and kisses.
She will be so proud of you!
Read all the way through, then get ready, get set, go!
There are 3 main parts to this: Chicken, pasta and a sauce.
Bring a pot of water to a boil and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Then get ready to cook the chicken.
Place chicken breasts in a gallon ziploc baggie and pound with something heavy. I used a rolling pin. A skillet works too. Whatever you’ve got handy.
Place the chicken on a baking sheet and go wash your hands. Be sure and do this or the Germ Police will come write you a ticket! Trust me.
Drizzle a little canola oil on each piece of chicken. Use tongs to turn the chicken over.
Sprinkle salt and pepper on, then flip the chicken over with the tongs and season the other side.
Place baking sheet in the hot oven and cook chicken for 12-15 minutes. You’ll know it is done when you press the in the middle with your finger and the chicken isn’t squishy. Be careful not to burn yourself!
While the chicken is in the oven, pour some Penne pasta into your boiling water.
Set a timer for 9 minutes. Then get a strainer or colander out and put it in the sink.
Now that your chicken is in the oven and your pasta is cooking, it’s time to make the sauce.
Melt a stick of butter in a hot skillet.
Add some chicken stock to the melted butter and cook on medium-high until it has reduced (which means it has less liquid). Usually takes about 7-8 minutes
Go stir your pasta.
Clean up any spills thay may or may not have happened 🙂
This is reduced.
You can see where the line was on the sides of the pan at the beginning.
Your pasta should be almost done. Get ready to drain in the colander.
BE CAREFUL…you’re dealing with super hot water!
Good job!
Turn the burner off.
Stack some fresh basil leaves and then cut into little strips; set this aside
Check on your chicken.
Take it out and let it rest while you finish the sauce. Turn the oven off.
Turn the heat to medium low and add a little heavy cream to the chicken stock and butter and whisk it till all combined.
Whisk, whisk, whisk…
Add a little salt and parmesan cheese, please. Whisk again.
You’re doing good. Keep going.
Mom is going to be so stinkin happy!
Taste your sauce and see if it needs anything. More salt? More cheese?
Remove skillet from the heat and turn burner off.
Now, slice the chicken into strips.
Then into cubes. How many sides does a cube have? Didn’t know math was in cooking, huh? Tomorrow, tell your math teacher you cooked cubes for dinner. 🙂
Get out a large, clean skillet or pot.
Drizzle a little olive oil into the clean pot and add the cooked pasta.
Turn the heat to medium.
Add your scrump-dilly-licious sauce.
Then your cubes (aka…chicken)
And finally, the basil strips. It’s okay if they turned a little brown.
That happens sometimes. It’s all good. Trust me.
Remove from heat, turn the burner off, stir it together really good and get ready.
Ready to make your mom the happiest girl in the world.
Especially after you clean up the kitchen. 🙂
I hope you try this for your mom.
Give her hug when you hand her the bowl. She loves you more than you love her.
Trust me.
Happy Cooking 🙂
[recipe]
Yum, you know what I like,lol.
Lol! You were my inspiration for this! I’ll cook it for you when you come. Hugs 🙂