Simple Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Spaghetti

I am a pasta addict. Unfortunately, even with packet instructions, I still manage to ruin the pasta and that doesn’t even include cooking the sauce yet. The good news is that Del Monte now boasts of a new spaghetti product that stays firm even after 20 minutes of overcooking. That really must be the ultimate spaghetti for kitchen dummies, idiots and nincompoops.

Even with the new failure proof product however, I didn’t take any chances. For this recipe, Jan insisted I do something useful so he assigned me the cooking of the spaghetti. I followed packet instructions to the letter and then badgered him every minute with, “Is this done yet?”

With his patience stretched to the limits, Jan gave me the evil eye, took over and prevented the destruction of another simple pasta recipe.

Ingredients:

500 grams spaghetti
2 250 ml Nestle all purpose cream packs
1 370 ml evaporated milk
1 chicken breast fillet
1 198g can button mushrooms, sliced
1 small onion, sliced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 chicken bouillon cube
Butter
Salt
Pepper
Dried oregano/basil

Procedure:

1. Cook spaghetti according to pack instructions.

2. In a separate pan, cook the chicken in boiling water until the meat changes to a lighter color. Set aside.

3. For the sauce, heat pan and melt butter. Saute onions and garlic and add the chicken and mushrooms. Add bouillon cube. Cook for a minute or two.

4. Add milk and all purpose cream and stir occasionally. Let the mixture boil and then resume stirring until the mixture thickens. Add salt and pepper to taste.

5. Arrange pasta on plates and top with sauce. Add oregano or basil leaves if desired. Serves 5.

Wife’s Verdict:

This recipe departed from the usual tomato based recipes which I prefer. Nonetheless, I don’t think anyone can stand keeping away from creamy white sauce. It was really the sauce that carried the dish through. The mushrooms added more texture than taste. The chicken, oregano, onions and garlic added enough strong flavor to keep the dish from feeling too heavy.

I think it was only right that we didn’t add cheese. Otherwise, it would have been a tad too rich.

Jan’s Quip: “Just follow the darn instructions.”