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Cooking Planit Meal Planning App – Creamy Chicken Pasta Recipe #EatFreshChallenge

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I shared with you guys last week that I was embarking on the #EatFreshChallenge as part of a sponsored campaign with Cooking Planit Eat Fresh Challenge with Colavita. After using the Cooking Planit Meal Planning app for an entire week, I have a more thorough understanding of the app and the Cooking Planit program in general…and a great new Creamy Chicken Pasta recipe to share with you guys!

If you haven’t tried meal planning before, then you’re probably a lot like me. I have always liked the idea of meal planning but I didn’t like the searching for recipe ideas, being stuck having to cook something when I wasn’t in the mood, trying to find things that the entire family would enjoy…but after a while, scrambling to come up with dinner after a long day gets old. Real old. 

While my first week of meal planning wasn’t exactly perfect, it was much better than my usual “What’s for dinner?” routine! I actually planned out my menu for the week using the Cooking Planit app while I was getting a pedicure on Sunday. The Cooking Planit meal planning app has so many features to help you plan your menu, browse for recipe ideas, creating grocery lists – I tell you, it’s a game changer! You can also use the Cooking Planit website.

Oh, but about that Creamy Chicken Pasta recipe? Yeah, it was delicious!

Creamy Chicken pasta recipe

This recipe is a slightly changed version of the Creamy Chicken Pasta Soup recipe in the Cooking Planit recipe database. Angeline isn’t a fan of soup, so I just tweaked the soup recipe a bit by adding more pasta so that it became pasta with a heavy cream sauce. I loved the combination of pasta, chicken and veggies – I also increased the veggie content to make it a more balanced meal, as we weren’t eating with the side recommended in the meal planner.

Creamy Chicken Pasta Recipe

4.94 from 16 votes
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Cooking Planit Meal Planning App - Creamy Chicken Pasta Recipe #EatFreshChallenge

Course Pasta
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 14 minutes
Cook Time 52 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 6 minutes
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

  • Carrots — 1 Cup
  • Celery — 3⁄4 Cup
  • Fresh Parsley — 2 Tablespoons
  • Fresh Thyme — 4 Sprigs
  • Garlic — 2 Cloves
  • Onions — 1⁄2 Cup
  • Chicken Tenders Boneless — 6 Ounces
  • Butter Unsalted — 2 Tablespoons
  • Heavy Cream — 2 Cups
  • Tagliatelle Pasta — 3 Cups
  • Chicken Stock Low Sodium — 2 1/2 Cups
  • Frozen Peas — 1 Cup
  • Black Pepper and salt to taste
  • Dried Bay Leaves — 2
  • Dried Sage — 1⁄2 Teaspoon
  • Flour — 2 Tablespoons
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil — 2 Tablespoons
  • Dry White Wine — 1 Cup

Instructions

  1. Cut an onion into 1/4 inch dice to measure the indicated amount.
  2. Peel carrots and cut into 1/4 inch pieces to measure the indicated amount. Add to the onions.
  3. Cut celery into 1/4 inch dice to measure the indicated amount. Add to carrots and onions.
  4. Smash the garlic under the side of your chef's knife to remove the peel. Mince the garlic, then add to celery, carrots and onions.
  5. Trim parsley leaves from the stems and finely chop to measure the indicated amount.
  6. Cut chicken into 1/2 inch diced pieces, then season with salt and pepper.
  7. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and warm.
  8. Once oil is warm, add the chicken. Oil should sizzle when you add the chicken. Sear until golden brown and nicely caramelized, stirring as it cooks to brown evenly, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a clean plate. Save the pot.
  9. Place the chicken pot back over medium heat. There should be enough oil to cover bottom of pot. If not, add more olive oil and warm.
  10. Once oil is warm, add garlic, onions, carrots, celery and dried sage. Crush the sage between your fingertips as you add it to the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Saute until vegetables are tender and onions are translucent. Stir often.
  11. Once onions are translucent, add butter and let melt. Then, add flour and cook while stirring for 1-2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
  12. Pour in white wine and use a spoon to scrape any bits off the bottom of the pot. Add thyme sprigs, dried bay leaves, heavy cream and chicken stock. Bring to a boil.
  13. Place chicken back into the pot along with pasta. Bring back to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer and cook until pasta noodles are tender and chicken is cooked through, about [15-20 minutes]. Continue to stir often.
  14. Once pasta noodles are tender and chicken is cooked through, remove thyme sprigs and dried bay leaves. Check final seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste, if necessary. Stir in parsley and peas. Place back over medium heat and simmer for another 3-5 minutes until peas are cooked through.
  15. Ladle creamy chicken pasta into bowls and serve warm!

Creamy Chicken Pasta Recipe #EatFreshChallenge

Get the Cooking Planit App!

There is a free version of the Cooking Planit app with limited content and functionality. In honor of the #EatFreshChallenge, Cooking Planit has reduced the price of the iPhone app to $1.99 (regularly $2.99), the iPad app to $2.99 (regularly $4.99) and the Android universal app to $1.99 (regularly $2.99) for the duration of the Colavita Challenge. Take advantage of this promotion while it lasts! You can download the iOS App here and the Android app here.

My meal plan for this week is full of easy food – re: KID-FRIENDLY food that Angeline will enjoy! One of the most difficult things about cooking in our house is that Angeline is a really picky eater. You’ll notice that I don’t select a lot of gourmet, fine dining fare; if I did, she’d likely not eat it. We both really liked the Roasted Chicken Drumsticks I made last week, so I am sticking to simple recipes to keep the “Wow, mom, this is good” momentum going!

2

OUR MEAL PLAN FOR THIS WEEK

Monday: Bacon, Tomato and Three Cheese Pasta

Tuesday: It was Angeline’s Birthday and she had a date at the Olive Garden. Sigh. I ate leftover pasta from Monday and deeply regretted my decision to allow her to spend her 17th birthday with her boyfriend instead of me.

Wednesday: Chicken Quesadillas

Thursday: Sloppy Joes and Mac & Cheese

Friday: Roasted Chicken with Pumpkin Spice Marinade

Saturday: Angeline’s birthday party – we’re having it catered and I am taking the night off from cooking!

Sunday: Pork Loin and Brussels Sprouts

We absolutely love Brussels sprouts because there are SO MANY different ways to prepare them! If you’ve never made Brussels sprouts before, this How to Prepare Brussels Sprouts YouTube video will help!

Do you remember the awesome Colavita pantry essentials basket I showed you last week?

#eatfreshchallenge Colavita

I am having so much fun experimenting with the different ingredients while menu planning, but the Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil is my favorite! I use olive oil in so many dishes – everything from Brussels sprouts to the chicken drumsticks to sauteing the veggies for our Creamy Chicken Pasta recipe!

If you’d like to try these cool Colavita products too, you can receive a 20% discount on your Colavita purchase by using the promo code EatFresh20 at checkout – you’ll also get free shipping on all orders over $99! You can check out their products here.

Colavita EVOO

Do you want to win your very own Colavita pantry essentials gift basket? Enter to win below!

Cooking Planit Colavita #Eatfreshchallenge

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I would love if you guys would join me in this Eat Fresh Challenge by signing up for a Cooking Planit account!

You can also check out what my fellow #EatFreshChallenge participants are up to – we’re all in the challenge together!

Comments

  1. This sounds like a great app. All the meals you had for the week sound really good. The creamy chicken pasta looks fantastic.

    Reply

  9. I really need to get more organized and make a weekly meal plan. I hate rushing last minute to try and figure out what to make. Your creamy chicken does sound really yummy!

    Reply

  18. I can’t wait to try the balsamic raspberry – it combines two of my favorite flavors. But really? I can’t wait to get my hands on a lot of the things in that basket.

    Reply

  41. Whoa! What a NICE PRIZE. I think Italian style is my favorite food. I would be most excited for their Olive Oil. Boy, do I use and love olive oil. Sometimes, I get a craving for some good warm bread in olive oil. I also would be excited for the polenta.. Ihave new recipe right now I want to try and it needs polenta!

    Reply

  42. I would love to try the polenta. I especially love fried polenta, and I bet it would be really good with same balsamic vinegar on top!

    Reply

  45. I would love to try the balsamic raspberry especially, but I love using oils and vinegars in my cooking so they would all be put to yummy use!

    Reply

  53. The Colavita Olive Oil looks amazing! I love cooking with olive oil and I’ve been wanting to try this brand! Thanks for an awesome giveaway! 🙂

    Reply

  54. I’m most curious to try the Cirio brand tomatoes. I just saw them yesterday for the 1st time at Harris Teeter, kicking myself for not picking up a box.

    Reply

  60. I’m excited to try the aged red wine vinegar and the raspberry balsamic. I love to cook with similar items, but haven’t tried these.

    Reply


  61. I’d be excited to create meals with all of these! I would be particularly excited to try the Raspberry Balsamic glaze,because I have never tried anything quite like it.

    Reply

  64. Actually I want to try the olive oil. I’ve read recently that many evoo’s on the market aren’t really evoo at all.

    Reply

  67. I’d be excited to try the Colavita Raspberry Balsamic Glace. I think it would be good with every food group!

    Reply

  70. Leave a comment telling me which product you’re most excited to try!

    ill go for some roasted chicken,..thanks

    Reply

  102. I’m most excited to try the raspberry balsamic vinegar. I think it would be really good on roasted carrots.

    Reply

  106. I love Colavita products and am most excited to try the Raspberry Balsamic Glaze as it’s one of the things I’ve not yet tried.

    Reply

  111. I’d like to try the Balsamic Glaze – Raspberry. That should be good. I’ve had regular balsamic vinegar but nothing with a raspberry flavoring.

    Reply

  113. I don’t do a lot of “from scratch” cooking. I would like to try a fancy Italian pasta dinner for my family.

    Reply

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