Skillet Chicken with Broccoli, Ziti, and Asiago Cheese

By marck

This recipe came from Cooks Illustrated's TV show "America's Test Kitchen." Purported to be a simple, quick recipe for a weeknight dinner, my version, in fact, took more than four hours. The secret? Slicing off a tip of a finger while cutting the garlic for the recipe, then packing the kids up, dropping them off at Grandma's, and proceeding to the emergency room, where a group of doctors, nurses and paramedics smirked at my injury, then guffawed at the fingertip my darling wife preserved in a sandwich baggie.

Anyway, when we finally did get home that night, I completed the recipe, and it was STUPENDOUS. Or maybe it was just that we were so hungry after the hospital visit that a cold Big Mac would have tasted glorious.

Ingredients

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch squares
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil or olive oil
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 3 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
• 8 oz ziti
• 2-3/4 C water
• 1-2/3 C low-sodium chicken broth
• 12 oz broccoli florets (about 4 cups)
• 1/4 C oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed and chopped coarse
• 1/2 C heavy cream
• 1 oz grated Asiago cheese (1/2 cup), plus extra for serving
• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Details

Servings 4
Adapted from americastestkitchen.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook for 1 minute without stirring. Stir the chicken and continue to cook until most, but not all, of the pink color has disappeared and the chicken is lightly browned around the edges, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Transfer the chicken to a clean bowl and set aside.

2. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil, onion, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the skillet. Return the skillet to medium-high heat and cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened, 2 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, oregano and pepper flakes, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

3. Add the ziti, 2 cups of the water, and the broth. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until the liquid is very thick and syrupy and almost completely absorbed, 12 to 15 minutes.

4. Add the broccoli, sun-dried tomatoes, and the remaining 3/4 cup water. Cover, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the broccoli turns bright green and almost tender, 3 to 5 minutes.

5. Uncover and return the heat to high. Stir in the cream, asiago, and reserved chicken with any accumulated juices and continue to simmer, uncovered, until the sauce is thickened and the chicken is cooked and heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, passing more grated Asiago at the table, if desired.