Creamy Chicken and Pumpkin Pasta (Ww)

Submitted by I'mPat

"From Everyday Gourmet hosted by Justine Schofield (an Australian Masterchef finalist) and guest cook Lucy Kelly from Weight Watches."

 

• Ready In: 45mins
• Ingredients: 11
• Serves: 4

ingredients

• 300 g butternut pumpkin (peeled cut into 3cm pieces)
• 250 g cherry tomatoes (halved)
• 100 g penne pasta
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 250 g chicken breast fillets (lean fat trimmed and thinly sliced)
• 1 medium red onion (thinly sliced)
• 1 garlic clove (minced)
• 1 tablespoon cornflour
• 375 ml evaporated skim milk
• 6 green olives (pitted in brine and sliced)
• 1⁄4 cup parmesan cheese (20 grams grated)

directions

1. Preheat oven to 220C or 200C fan forced.
2. Line a baking tray with baking paper and place pumpkin on prepared tray and lightly spray with oil and then bake for 20 minutes and then add tomatoes and bake for a further 10 minutes or until pumpkin is lightly browned and tomatoes softened.
3. Meanwhile cook the pasta in a medium saucepan of boiling salted water, following packet instructions, or until just tender and then drain.
4. Heat oil in a non stick frying pan over medium-high heat and add the chicken and cook stirring for 5 minutes or until lightly browned and then transfer to a plate.
5. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring for 5 minutes or until softened and then return chicken to the pan.
6. Blend cornflour and a little evaporated milk in a jug and stir in remaining milk and then add this milk mixture to the pan and bring to the boil, reduce heat to low and simmer stirring occasionally for 3 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly.
7. Add the cooked pasta, olives and roasted pumpkin and tomatoes to the sauce and toss gently to combine and serve pasta sprinkled with cheese.

Reviews

[KerfuffleUponWincle]

I forgot to add the Parmesan cheese until I read Sydney Mike's review just now! I'll add that to leftovers tomorrow ~ I added a sprinkling of red pepper flakes to my butternut squash before roasting, and it gave the dish a nice zing of heat ~ LOVED the sweetness of the squash, and the brininess of the olives! I salted/peppered a whole chicken breast, cooked it, then cooled it just enough to slice before adding it back to the sauce/pasta, garnished with fresh basil! Made for Summer Photo Tag 2012.

 

[DianaEatingRichly]

This was SO good! Wonderful flavors, creamy sauce. The olives are a great salty balance to the sweet sauce. I seasoned the chicken with salt and pepper before cooking, and did the same to the pumpkin and tomatoes after cooking.

 

[Mandy]

Sorry Pat, but I thought this was just okay even though I'd cooked the pumpkin in spices and used flavoured chicken sausages, it needed a bit more flavour for me, maybe some basil, oregano or the like would give it a punchier flavour.

 

[Sydney Mike]

Very much enjoyed this pasta dish, with its nice combo of flavors! Particularly liked the roasted pumpkin & the green olives! I did prefer it without the Parmesan cheese, but my other half poured it on! A keeper of a recipe, for sure! Thanks for sharing it! [Made & reviewed in Went to the Market recipe tag]

 

[giy320]

This is delicious. I watched it cooked on TV, and have been looking for the recipe ever sinse. Thanks.