So Veggies…..

Zoodles have been “my thing” for a few years now. I absolutely love them. My personal trick is to sauté them lightly and then combine them with whole wheat spaghetti or even “hidden veggie” spaghetti. Again, no, Chris is not 5, but sometimes the less the men-folk know, the better – ya heard?

My Creamy Tuscan Chicken tastes so luxurious and full of “good for you” veggies that anyone will love – maybe even a REAL 5 year old! It is quick to assemble, it introduces new Italian combos & so easy to make! You can try to be even healthier and substitute your Fat Free Half & Half for 2% milk and it *should* turn out relatively the same.

Not many Italian restaurants seem to deviate from the heavy, rich sauces or the creamy, buttery norms that we Americans know & love – Alfredo, Bolognese, Marinara, Vodka Sauce…you get it. And as great as those choices are – sometimes I feel myself craving somethingggg else. I’m a woman, what can I say? Sometimes I actually DON’T know what I want to eat – and at least I own that shit.

A Few More Instructions…..

Slowly sprinkle in your tablespoon of flour, while whisking ((remember Mamaw’s sausage gravy recipe?? That same shit applies here – DO NOT let that flour clump!)) – once your flour is absorbed, slowly pour in your chicken broth – whisking all the while! Turn your heat back up to medium-high and slowly allow your sauce to form & thicken. Once your sauce has started slowly bubbling & thickening up, whisk in your Half & Half — allow to bubble & thicken again. Finally, slowly whisking, sprinkle in your parmesan cheese, add S+P and turn your heat back down & continue to whisk – your sauce consistency should be light brown in color & have a velvety consistency that would easily coat the back of a spoon – but not pasty and not too thick. Turn your sauce down to Low & add your chicken tenders back in.

Turn your attention back to your empty pasta pot – heat that up again to Medium, pour in your 2 TBS of olive oil, drop in your zoodles & stir them gently, add S+P to your liking and watch carefully – these only need to cook for about 3-4 minutes! They can easily overcook & will become watery & mushy – that shit is gross & NOT what we need for this dish.

Add your drained pasta back in with your zoodles & toss gently to coat and mix them together. Have your pasta water on standby if you need help mixing it all together.

Now you can use a pasta fork & add your nood-zood mixture directly into your sauce. Everyone into the pool! Using tongs, gently stir your sauce, noodles, chicken tenders & zoodles all together – this should be a beautiful experience. The garlic should still be lingering, the hint of the lemon juice brightens up the creamy sauce & the slight brininess of the artichokes will pair nicely with the heaviness of the sundried tomatoes.