One Pot Chicken Pasta with Light Artichoke Cream

We have been super into one pot pasta situations recently. This partially has to do with the fact we had a plumbing issue and couldn't run water briefly (home ownership....) so we tried to make as few dishes as possible, and partially because, well, who wants more dishes anyway? While this dish sounds simple and 'down home' as a pasta with cream sauce, it's way more than that. Artichokes and lemon brighten this dish while smoked chicken adds another layer of flavor. And the pasta itself? Who doesn't like a fun pasta shape?! It's the perfect meal for two (with leftovers to boot) and just what I wanted after returning home from a multi day work trip. 

Maybe the best part of this recipe is the simplicity. I could totally teach you to whip up a white sauce and infuse it with chicken. Or I could make your life that much easier and give you the greatest shortcut of your night: Pacific Foods Organic Cream of Chicken Soup. Growing up I only remember ever running into 'cream of anything' soup for a green bean casserole my Mom insisted on making at Thanksgiving and a tuna noodle casserole that is actually still a favorite of mine to this day (seriously.). And that particular kind of soup in the 1990's was mediocre in taste and ingredients. I actually think it was mostly salt.  Thankfully, we have way more product choices these days and this Pacific Foods cream of chicken soup only has the good stuff (like Crème Fraîche and roasted chicken).  In this recipe we're going to use it as a sauce base and thin it out more with organic chicken stock and lemon. Short cuts done right. 

Now while this dish itself is a little light on the green veggies, we need to have a moment for the artichokes. Not only do artichokes have antioxidants but they are a superstar in the fiber department. Fiber is great for keeping full and improving digestion and also lowering LDL cholesterol. When it comes to nutrients, expect vitamin C and vitamin K. And to help that K absorb better, make sure to pair it with a healthy fat like olive oil!

So all this artichoke praise aside, if you still want more green, you could easily do a starter or meal ending salad. You can't go wrong with more greens. 

Pacific Foods Organic Cream of Chicken Soup

Chicken Pasta with Artichoke Cream Sauce

serves 4

/// Ingredients /// 

• 1/2 T EVOO
• 1/4 large white/yellow onion - rough chopped
• 1/4 t salt
• 3 cloves garlic - minced
• 1, 12 oz container Pacific Foods Organic Cream of Chicken Soup
• 1 cup Pacific Chicken Stock
• 1/2 lb Mafaldine pasta (or another long, flat pasta)
• 2 breasts smoked chicken - cooked and sliced
• 1 c artichoke unseasoned quarter cuts, canned in water/juice
• 2T minced chives
• 10 cherry tomatoes - quartered
• 1/4 fresh lemon - squeezed
• black pepper to taste
• additional lemon to taste and garnish

/// Directions /// Heat oil in a large deep walled skillet at medium low. Add the onions and salt and cook for 3 minutes stirring occasionally. Add the minced garlic and continue cooking until components are softened. Add the entire pouch of Pacific Cream of Chicken and 1 cup Pacific Chicken Stock. Whisk to combine. Increase heat and bring sauce to a soft boil. Add pasta and then reduce the temperature to medium low. Continue to cook the pasta for approximately 8 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure that the noodles submerge in the sauce. Add the sliced chicken, artichokes and lemon. Stir and incorporate. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Add the cherry tomatoes and chives. Black Pepper to taste. 

Disclosure: This post is part of a partnership with Pacific Foods. You can see other recipes Pacific Foods has sponsored and whip them up this weekend by making our veggie polenta bahn mi or hatch chile turkey meatball soup!   

Do you use cream of chicken in a recipe shortcut?