Sometimes it is not so much that I am super busy but that I want to get dinner done and out of the way so I can get on with other things that I want to do. Well, usually that means I am baking but one is entitled to one (or two) vices, I think. 🙂

I have been baking like mad and fattening everyone around me, not that anyone has complained, mind you, but I still have to get dinner and and on the table. It is then little wonder that I turn to my favorite one-pot pastas on days like this.

Today, I am sharing a recipe for a One-Pot Creamy Smoked Chicken Penne. The smoked chicken is cooked in a slow cooker and shredded. You can always cook this in advance and use it for anything, from burgers to sandwiches to pastas or even in fried rice.

The chicken is moist and very, very flavorful because it is cooked slowly over a period of time, If you do not have a slow cooker, you can always cook this in an oven. Just make sure you cover your baking tray with aluminium foil to keep the moisture in.

Here are the instructions on how to cook this.

To cook the chicken, combine all the ingredients except the chicken and the barbecue sauce to make a dry rub.

Coat the chicken with the dry rub.

Place the chicken in the bowl of a slow cooker, pour the barbecue sauce over the chicken and cover with a piece of baking paper.

Put the lid on and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours, or until chicken is tender. Cool slightly before shredding the chicken with a pair of forks. Set aside.

Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add onion and garlic and saute for 1 minute.

Add the red pepper and zucchini. Stir to mix.

Add the chicken, followed by the chicken stock, cream of condensed chicken and cream. Stir to combine.

Add salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Once the liquid is boiling, add the pasta, give everything a stir and lower the heat.

Place a cover on the skillet and simmer the pasta for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the liquid dries out too much, add a little water.

Once the pasta is al dente, turn off the heat.

Serve the pasta immediately, garnished with chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley and chili flakes, if desired.

one-pot creamy smoked chicken penne

2015-04-12 12:49:10

Serves 4

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For the barbecued pulled chicken

1. 2 chicken breasts (4 halves)
2. 3 tablespoons garlic powder
3. 3 tablespoons onion powder
4. 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
5. 1 teaspoon mustard powder
6. 1 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
7. 2 teaspoons salt
8. 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
9. 1/3 cup (80ml) barbecue sauce

For the pasta

1. 2 tablespoons olive oil
2. Chicken, shredded, from above
3. 1/2 onion, diced
4. 2 cloves garlic, minced
5. 1 small red pepper, seeds removed and diced
6. 1 zucchini, thinly sliced and quartered
7. 2 cups (480ml) low-sodium chicken stock, or mix 1 cup salted chicken stock with 1 cup water
8. 1 can (290g/10.2oz) condensed cream of chicken soup
9. 1/2 cup (120ml) cream
10. 500g pasta - I used penne
11. 1/4 teaspoon salt
12. 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

To garnish

1. Chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
2. Chili flakes

For the barbecued pulled chicken

1. Combine all the ingredients except the chicken and the barbecue sauce to make a dry rub.
2. Coat the chicken with the dry rub. Place the chicken in the bowl of a slow cooker, pour the barbecue sauce over the chicken and cover with a piece of baking paper. Put the lid on and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours, or until chicken is tender.
3. Cool slightly before shredding the chicken with a pair of forks. Set aside.

For the pasta

1. Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add onion and garlic and saute for 1 minute.
2. Add the red pepper and zucchini. Stir to mix.
3. Add the chicken, followed by the chicken stock, cream of condensed chicken and cream. Stir to combine.
4. Add salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Once the liquid is boiling, add the pasta, give everything a stir and lower the heat.
5. Place a cover on the skillet and simmer the pasta for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the liquid dries out too much, add a little water.
6. Once the pasta is al dente, turn off the heat.
7. Serve the pasta immediately, garnished with chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley and chili flakes, if desired.

Notes

1. To cook the chicken in an oven, place chicken in baking tray or casserole, add barbecue sauce, cover the tray with foil and bake at 140-150°C for 2-2.5 hours. Check done-ness by cutting into the thickest part of the chicken.

The Domestic Goddess Wannabe http://thedomesticgoddesswannabe.com/