Chicken Pasta in a Three Mushroom Cream Sauce

Rotisserie chicken is one of those great, versatile ingredients to have on hand.  Rather than throw it on a salad, I decided to pair it up with a package of baby bellas I had in the fridge and some dried chantrelles and porcinis in the pantry to create a lightened cream sauce that’s just bursting with flavor.  What a happy return to Presto Pasta Nights, hosted this week by Claire at Chez Cayenne. This comes in at 4 servings at 358 calories and 14.8 grams of fat.  Serve with a side salad and a nice glass of prosecco. 

Ingredients:

8 oz. fresh baby bella mushrooms
dried chantrelle mushrooms
dried porcini mushrooms
15 oz. diced rotisserie chicken
4 oz. whole wheat pasta
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup fat free half and half
1/4 cup light sour cream
salt
pepper
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp corn starch

Directions:

To start, you’ll want to heat your chicken stock.  Stove top or nuke it.  Not boiling but about as hot as your tap water would get.
Pour it over the chantrelles and porcinis.  You’ll let those soak for half an hour.  Lots of people shun dried mushrooms, and indeed fresh is awesome, but I really love being able to use the liquid from the reconstituted dry ones.  Fresh just doesn’t work the same.
After the mushrooms are reconstituted, melt the butter over medium heat.
Meanwhile, chop your mushrooms and reserve the liquid.
Start your pasta water.
Add to the skillet and saute over medium heat for about five minutes.  Add a pinch of salt to bring out some of the liquid.
Boil the pasta according to package directions.
Remove the mushrooms and set aside.
Add the reserved mushroom liquid and bring to a simmer.
In a small bowl, mix the corn starch with a couple of tablespoons of cold water, stirring until there are no lumps.   Whisk liquid to the mushroom liquid.
As it starts to bubble, whisk in the half and half.
Reduce heat to medium low.
Add the mushrooms and chicken and stir until well coated.
Add the sour cream and continue to stir until well coated and heated through.
Add salt and pepper to taste.  Add parsley.
Drain the pasta.
Add the pasta to the sauce mixture.  Stir.
Bon appetite!

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