Freaking Awesome Pasta Al Forno

I have always been a huge fan of pasta. With an Italian father and a mother who could cook just about anything, I was raised on all types of noodles and sauces.

That’s why, when I moved out, I tried my hardest to learn to emulate, make, and create pasta dishes that would be awesome enough to eat all the time (and impress my rents!)

This is one of my all-time favorite recipes that I’ve adapted and made my own over time. Since I’m a super veggie, chicken, and cheese lover it’s a little on the high-calorie side, but there’s always ways to make it healthier, and hey, nothing beats comfort food. 🙂

Freaking Awesome Pasta Al Forno

Your mouth is watering already, right?

Here’s What You Need:

2-3 chicken breasts, chopped into small pieces (other meat options include shrimp, proscuitto, or a combo, if desired)
1 bag frozen peas
1 8oz container of mushrooms
1/2 cup heavy cream (or sub this for 1/2 cup skim milk and 1/8 cup flour)
1 onion, chopped
3 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup white cooking wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 box linguine (or sub for another noodle type, if preferred)
2 tbsp butter
Sprinkle of: pepper, salt, Italian seasoning, and parsley to taste

This Is How You Do It:

First cook your chicken in olive oil and butter, adding spices to taste. In the meantime, set your oven to 350 F, spray a 9×13 pan to set aside and start cooking your pasta in a separate pot.

Add mushroom and onion with chicken and saute until tender.
Add white wine to deglaze your pan.
Stir in chicken stock and cook for a few minutes, then add garlic, cream, and when it starts to bubble, add peas, meat and other spices.
Add chicken, cheese on top, then bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until the meat is cooked all the way and the sauce is somewhat baked in (not dried out, not too thin!)

It should look something like this: