Gorgonzola Fettuccine with Rosemary Chicken and Wild Mushrooms

By JeanAnn

The Gorgonzola sauce in this robustly flavored pasta dish has enough character that you could serve it alone with the pasta and omit the chicken and mushrooms.

Ingredients

• For the pasta:
• For the Gorgonzola Sauce
• 2 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese, or another good-quality blue cheese
• Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
• For the Chicken and Mushrooms
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 6 ounces each
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 pounds mixed wild mushrooms, such as crimini, portabellas, shitakes, and oyster mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
• 1 pound dried fettuccine
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 4 fresh rosemary sprigs, for garnish

Preparation

Step 1

To prepare the sauce, heat the cream in a small saucepan set over medium heat until it reaches a low simmer. Add the Gorgonzola, while whisking, and continue to whisk until the cheese is fully incorporated. Season with salt and pepper, remove from the heat, and set aside.

To prepare the chicken, pour 2 tablespoons of the olive oil into a large sauté pan or skillet and set over medium-high heat. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and add to the pan. Sauté for 3 minutes, turn the chicken over, and turn down the heat to medium. Continue cooking for 4 or 5 minutes until firm to touch and, when pieced with fork, the juices run clear. Remove the chicken breasts from the pan and let cool. Cut into dice and reserve.

In the same sauté pan, add the butter and the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and return to medium heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often, until they are tender and have released most of their moisture. Season with salt and pepper, then add the rosemary and the reserved diced chicken. Cover the pan and remove from the heat while cooking the pasta.

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat and add the fettuccine. Turn down the heat to medium-high and simmer, uncovered, for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is cooked al dente. Drain the pasta in a large colander, briefly rinse under cold running water, and return to a clean large saucepan. Warm the cheese sauce and add to the pasta. Add the chicken and mushroom mixture, stir to combine, and bring just to a simmer over medium-low heat . Transfer to warm pasta bowls, sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese, and garnish with rosemary sprigs.

Chef’s note: This recipe also works well with domestic white mushrooms, instead of the assorted wild mushrooms. You can substitute fresh Parmesan for the Gorgonzola if you’d like a less pungent sauce.