Spicy Chicken Fennel Pasta

This delightful creamy pasta dish is loaded with flavor, thanks to a few fennel seeds and a serrano pepper. The heat can be toned down for less zesty palates by removing the seeds from the pepper, and/or only using half the pepper.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 2-4

Ingredients

• 2  cups  dry medium pasta shells or 2  cups other pastas
• 2  raw boneless chicken breasts, chopped into 1/2 to 3/4 inch pieces
• 1  head broccoli, roughly chopped in 1 inch pieces
• 3  button mushrooms, thickly sliced
• 3  garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1  fresh  serrano peppers or 1  other green chili pepper, finely chopped
• 1⁄2 cup red wine
•  butter
•  salt and pepper
• 1  teaspoon  whole fennel
•  red pepper flakes
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese or 1 (8 ounce) package  1/3 fat cream cheese
• 2 -3  ounces  crumbled feta cheese

Directions

1. Begin boiling water for pasta in a medium pot. Add pasta when water boils and cook according to box directions. Drain and set aside.
2. After starting pasta, in a separate large pan or wok (NOT covered), heat 2 tbsp butter over high heat. Add garlic and the chopped pepper when the butter begins to bubble. Immediately add the chicken, fennel, and salt and pepper to taste. Saute for 1-2 minutes, stirring as needed. The high heat of the pan should rapidly cook the chicken. Add broccoli and mushrooms, saute another 3 minutes, reducing heat to medium/medium-high. Add wine and continue to stir fry for 5-10 minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated. The chicken should be done at this point, and the broccoli fairly tender. Reduce heat to low. Add cream cheese and allow to slowly melt into the ingredients, stirring it in to create a smooth sauce. Add drained pasta, and stir to combine ingredients. Plate servings and top with feta cheese crumbles and red pepper flakes to taste. Enjoy!