When you’re sick of sticking to salads, sucking yourself into figure-hugging summer dresses and just overall being a good girl and watching your weight, eat THIS. If you still want to maintain a fraction of the good girl, eat a small portion, but have some nonetheless. Lord knows you worked for it!
Oh, you want to know what this is before I force feed it to you? Well, alright. This is creamy, decadent and delicious comfort food at its best. All of the rich, fresh flavors combined – red pepper, zucchini, yellow squash, onion, cream cheese, garlic and butter-sautéed chicken – melt. in. your. mouth. Eating this is a divine experience, and it was Tuesday night’s dinner. But wait, it can be yours, too!
It’s simple, really. Just boil some penne, sauté your chicken and vegetables together, then make an easy cream sauce from butter, flour, and cream cheese. Stir ‘em all together and what have you got? Scrumptious, sinful and ooey-gooey perfection on a plate with an amazing aroma and even better taste. Just don’t expect to squeeze into a swimsuit the next day…
Chicken, Penne and Vegetables in a Garlic Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- Salt
- Olive oil
- 1 ¼ cups penne
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
- 1/3 cup chopped onion
- 2 cups zucchini, sliced 1/8-inch thick
- 2 cups yellow squash, sliced 1/8-inch thick
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced 1/8-inch thick
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 15 oz. can chicken broth
- 3 oz. cream cheese
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Instructions
- Bring a 4-quart pot of water to boil. Add a pinch of salt and a little olive oil to the water. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions. Drain and set aside in a colander. Rinse pot and reserve for later use.
- In a large skillet melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Add chicken. Cook until chicken is browned and fork tender, about 5 minutes. Add onion, zucchini, yellow squash and bell pepper. Continue cooking, stirring, until vegetables soften.
- In the 4 quart pot, melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat; add garlic. Cook for 1 minute, then whisk in flour and stir until smooth. Add chicken broth, cream cheese, pepper and garlic powder. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until sauce is smooth and thickened. Remove from heat and gently stir sauce into chicken and vegetables. Add salt.
- Return skillet to medium heat and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until mixture is hot and bubbly. Sprinkle with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and serve immediately.
- Serve with garlic bread and salad, if desired.
- Enjoy!
The garlic cream sauce sounds so amazing!
I have to agree that the sauce sounds really delicious! Simple and so very good. Bookmarking this!
An absolute winner of a comfort meal, fabulous.
:-) Mandy
Garlic cream sauce…I’m in!
How do you like your sauce? I have a constant battle with my wife because I like the pasta swimming in the sauce, while she only likes a tiny bit, just to coat the pasta a weeny bit.
Looks like a great meal in any case – beautiful colours!
Truly sinful, this picture should be on the cover of a magazine.
Salads.. that’s what I’ve been forgetting this summer, no wonder why I look god awful in a swimsuit!! LOL
Love this dish, Georgia! It looks a little like heaven :)
Mmmmm. This made my mouth water. Love the flavors you have going on in here and you’re right – we deserve it;)
Who needs swimsuits and form-fitting dresses when you have THIS? Looks delish, Georgia!
Just added this to next week’s menu. Looks fabulous! Can’t wait to try it.
I love pasta dishes anyway, but this cream sauce is fantastic! Gorgeous dish!
This looks soooo tasty! And I have loads of those veggies sitting around!
I have all these veggies in my kitchen right now! :) Yum!
This has all my favorite flavors in one pasta dish…I let myself have one big splurge per week, so this is going on my to-try list. Stay cool this weekend…maybe we’ll get some rain from this tropical storm!! Pinning!
This garlic cream sauce sounds so delicious. Great post!
That sounds amazing. If only I could convince my picky children to eat all of those veggies in one meal. *sigh*
Worth the extra mile at the gym. Especially if there’s bread on the side :) Delicious!
This sounds perfect for an easy weeknight dinner. Thanks for the inspiration!
I love pasta dishes and the garlic sauce sounds so good!!! Sharing it on Stumbleupon!!!
Mmm! Well since I don’t have anything planned in the next week or so that involves a bathing suit, it looks like the perfect time to try this! Cream cheese and garlic–yum.
what a great dish, drooling for the sauce. forget the bsuit..give me a hefty portion!!
I’m SO sick of salads too! Love my pasta intermixed with some veggies.
Absolutely gorgeous, Georgia. A perfect weeknight meal… my man would absolutely love this.
The sauce sounds awesome and love veggies and pasta.
Karen
Looks wonderful. We are always on the look out for new pasta dishes, esp. when we can add so many fresh veggies.
YUM! I sooooooo wish I could eat this right now!
This was one of the best pasta i’ve ever had in my life !!! My bf who normally doesn’t like pasta devoured his meal.