Life has been crazy over the past couple months. But mainly it’s been mega hot summer misery - Every time I cook, I end up needing a shower after just to clean off all the sweat. Boiling water and cooking meats especially is a killer on the temperature inside the house. Opening windows is clearly not an option, because spiders live outside. Needless to say, kitchen time has been kept to a minimum. That being said, I still require pasta.
I made this dish in the middle of a super hot day, and I was definitely a sweaty mess afterward, but it was completely worthwhile. The sauce is tangy and sweet and creamy and stick-to-your-bones and so so satisfying. It’s clearly a winter meal, but the tomatoes and basil and artichokes add a summery feel to it. The buttermilk gives it a rich freshness in a much more effective way than heavy cream and lemon juice would. The basil shifts the whole dynamic in this dish to the sweeter end of the spectrum in a very pleasing way, and the spinach gives the whole flavor profile a kind of nicely vegetal undertone. The artichokes add a great chew to the bouncy pasta. You’ll definitely want to add this to your menu next time you are blessed with a cool afternoon. Prepare yourself for carb coma.
Butter Count: 2 Tbsp
INGREDIENTS:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup buttermilk
½ cup chicken stock
1 handful fresh basil leaves, roughly torn
6 oz cream cheese
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
12 oz artichoke hearts, halved lengthwise
8 oz fresh spinach
This Pasta, rolled to about 1mm thickness, then sliced into 1-inch strips
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat a grill or a grill pan until it is piping hot. While it is heating, slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise and season both sides with salt and pepper. Grill the chicken 4 minutes per side, then set aside.
Heat the butter and olive oil in a pretty large pot over medium heat until the butter is melted. Add the garlic and continue heating until fragrant.
Add the buttermilk, chicken stock, basil, and cream cheese, and continue cooking over medium heat, whisking until thickened and all the lumps are smoothed out. If the sauce becomes too thick, thin it out with a little additional chicken stock.
Add the tomatoes and artichokes and continue cooking until the tomatoes are warmed through, and their skins begin to wrinkle.
Add the Spinach and cover the pot. Remove the pot from heat and allow the spinach to wilt.
Slice the chicken into strips or chunks and add it to the pot.
In a separate pot, bring heavily salted water to a boil and cook the pasta in it until al dente.
Toss the pasta along with about ½ cup of the pasta water into the sauce. Return the sauce pot to heat, medium-low, and stir everything together.
Cook until thickened, then serve immediately.