Mediterranean Chicken with Rosemary Gnocchetti
The past couple of weeks' exam flurry has pretty much left me in such a mental lull that even to think of something as simple as what to eat for lunch has been quite the chore. Nevertheless, after contemplating and browsing through countless recipes online for something that could satiate our palate, I came across this one on Betty Crocker's webpage. It looked like just the thing we wanted: quick to make, light, airy, slightly moist, and with only a little emphasis on meat and other strong flavours.
Also, the original called for orzo, but because I like the chewy texture of gnocchetti, we ended up using this instead. It's about the right size pasta for this dish too, I think. As I write this, I'm also thinking what it would taste like with soy protein instead of chicken. Might try that on a day when I feel particularly vegetarian.
Ingredients (Serves 2)
The original recipe called for chicken stock, but as there wasn't any left at the supermarket by the time we got there on Sunday morning, we ended up using low-sodium vegetable stock instead. This was probably a better option anyway because I'm not really a fan of chicken stock; no matter how good the quality, I always find that it smells slightly strange. The vegetable stock, instead, added and enhanced the flavours in this recipe.
Also, the original called for orzo, but because I like the chewy texture of gnocchetti, we ended up using this instead. It's about the right size pasta for this dish too, I think. As I write this, I'm also thinking what it would taste like with soy protein instead of chicken. Might try that on a day when I feel particularly vegetarian.
Anyway, as we were just looking for a light lunch, we ate this as a main course, but it would be perfect as a side dish too. Best part of all is that it uses no oil whatsoever and is incredibly healthy. Great for someone on a diet! ;)
| Ease of Cooking | Yummy Factor | Apprx. Cost |
|---|---|---|
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HK$50 (US$6.5) |
- 1/2 lbs chicken breast, thinly chopped
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 3/4 cup gnocchetti sardi pasta
- 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tsp rosemary leaves, finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 small zucchini, julienned
- 2 small red tomatoes
- 1/4 cup yellow pepper, diced
- 1/4 cup red pepper, diced
Directions
- Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until brown.
- Add garlic, pasta, and broth. Heat until it boils.
- Cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until most of the liquid is absorbed.
- Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat again until it boils.
- Cover and simmer for 5 more minutes, stirring once or twice. Cook until the peppers and pasta are crisp-tender.
