This recipe was sent in the mail. It was actually an advertisement from a mortgage company, but it had a recipe on the back. (great idea!) I guess if you're going to send advertisements and don't want it thrown in the trash on the way from the mailbox, throw a little recipe on the back and it gets a free pass.
It had some ingredients in it that I don't usually (have probably never) used and others that I thought were surprising in an Italian dish. I had to give it a shot. Well, turns out, it was great!
Something about sautéing garlic and mushrooms, and using fresh basil; it brought out the Italian Chef in me! It just had a fresh, light flavor which is always a nice change from marinara and alfredo sauce.
So go outside the box just a little and give this recipe a try. I hope you liked it like our family did!
1 T virgin olive oil
1 T minced garlic (fresh)
8 oz mushrooms (sliced)
1 lb chicken breasts (boneless, skinless, chunked)
1 t salt & pepper (each)
1/2 C white grape juice
3/4 C fresh lemon juice (4 lemons)
8 Roma tomatoes (chunked)
1/2 C fresh basil leaves (chopped)
1/4 C Asiago cheese (grated)
1 lb penne pasta (cooked)
In a large skillet, brown garlic and mushrooms in oil until golden brown. Add chicken chunks, salt, and pepper and cook until done, about 10 minutes. Add grape juice and simmer 5 minutes. Add lemon juice and tomatoes. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in chopped fresh basil. Serve over pasta and top with Asiago cheese.
Now for my variations: I was worried it would be too lemon-y and didn't want Devin to immediately taste lemon. (Have I mentioned my husband who isn't a big fan of anything too out of the ordinary?) So I only used 2 lemons. I also didn't use all 8 tomatoes, but that's just me. I like tomatoes, just not tons of them. Also looking back I would have dished out my kids plates before adding the tomatoes. (they aren't tomato fans) One more thing: I couldn't find Asiago cheese at the store, so I just used Parmesan cheese and that tasted great too!
Bon Appetite!
