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Extra Cheesy Chicken Pasta

Placeholder illustration for Extra Cheesy Chicken Pasta (not a photo of this recipe)

A weeknight one-skillet dinner: seasoned chicken, tri-color rotini and California-blend vegetables tossed in a thick, creamy Parmesan sauce. Finish each bowl with more Parmesan and a shake of Tony Chachere’s.

There are two optional ways to make it. The egg version started when my kid, who was 4 at the time, asked for “extra cheesy chicken pasta with egg.” I tried it, and now we all like it and make it that way sometimes. The bacon version is just what it sounds like.

Note: the picture on this page is a placeholder illustration, not a photo of this recipe. A real photo is coming the next time I make it.

Placeholder illustration for Extra Cheesy Chicken Pasta (not a photo of this recipe)

Extra Cheesy Chicken Pasta

A weeknight one-skillet dinner: seasoned chicken, tri-color rotini and California-blend vegetables tossed in a thick, creamy Parmesan sauce.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts about 1½ lb total, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 1-2 tablespoons avocado oil
  • 2 teaspoons chicken seasoning blend your favorite
Pasta and vegetables
  • 12 oz tri-color rotini 1 box
  • 12 oz frozen California-blend vegetables 1 bag (broccoli, cauliflower and carrots)
Sauce
  • 1¼ cups heavy cream
  • 1½ tubs shredded Parmesan cheese about 9 oz or 3 cups; most tubs are 5 to 7 oz
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • salt to taste; go easy, the Parmesan is salty
To serve
  • shredded Parmesan extra, for topping
  • Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning for sprinkling
Optional add-ins
  • 1-2 eggs for the “with egg” version
  • 4-6 slices bacon for the “with bacon” version; if you love bacon, use up to a full pound

Method
 

  1. Start the pasta water: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
  2. Cook the chicken: Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet (12-inch) or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, sprinkle with the chicken seasoning and cook, stirring now and then, until browned and cooked through (165°F), 8 to 10 minutes.
  3. Optional, with bacon: While the chicken cooks, cook the bacon in a separate pan until crisp. Use 4 to 6 slices, or up to a full pound if you love bacon. Drain it on paper towels, then chop it into small pieces.
  4. Cook the pasta: While the chicken cooks, cook the rotini according to the package directions until just tender. Scoop out 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain.
  5. Steam the vegetables: Microwave or steam the vegetables until just barely tender, a few minutes less than the bag says. They’ll finish cooking in the sauce.
  6. Make room in the pan: Push the cooked chicken out to the sides of the skillet, leaving an open space in the center where the pan is hottest.
  7. Optional, with egg: Crack 1 or 2 eggs into the open center and scramble them until just set. The egg gets blended through the whole dish.
  8. Add the vegetables: Add the vegetables to the open center and let them sizzle for a minute, then stir everything together.
  9. Add the pasta: Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the drained pasta.
  10. Add the cream: Pour in the heavy cream and stir until everything is coated and the cream is steaming.
  11. Add the cheese: Add the shredded Parmesan a handful at a time, stirring after each one so it melts smoothly. If you’re making it with bacon, add the chopped bacon with the cheese. Stir in the garlic powder and pepper.
  12. Simmer: Keep stirring over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until the sauce is thick and creamy and clings to the pasta. If it gets too thick, loosen it with a splash of the saved pasta water. Taste and add salt if needed.
  13. Serve hot: Top each bowl with extra shredded Parmesan and a sprinkle of Tony Chachere’s.

Notes

Keep the heat low once the cheese goes in. High heat makes Parmesan clump and turn grainy.
Using a 16 oz box of pasta? That works too. Add a little more cream or pasta water so it stays saucy.
Leftovers: Refrigerate up to 3 days. The sauce thickens as it cools, so reheat with a splash of milk or cream.
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How Often to Replace a Furnace Filter

Quick answer: check your furnace filter every month and replace it every 1 to 3 months. Standard 1-inch filters usually need changing every 1 to 3 months. Thicker 4 to 5 inch media filters usually last 6 to 12 months.

Change it sooner if you have pets, anyone in the house with allergies, a dusty home, or construction or remodeling going on. Change it any time it looks gray and clogged when you hold it up to the light. Your filter’s packaging or your furnace manual will also give a recommended interval, so go with that when it’s different.

Types of filters

  • Fiberglass (disposable, flat): Cheapest and lets air through easily, but only catches large dust and debris. Mostly protects the furnace, not the air you breathe. Usually needs changing about every month.
  • Pleated (MERV 8 to 11): The everyday choice for most homes. Catches much more dust, pollen and pet dander than fiberglass while still letting air flow well. Costs a bit more.
  • High-MERV pleated (MERV 13 and up): Traps finer particles like smoke and some bacteria. The tradeoff is that they restrict airflow more and clog faster. Central air conditioning uses the same blower and filter as the furnace, so this affects your AC too: less airflow can make it run longer and cool less efficiently, and in bad cases the indoor coil can get cold enough to ice up. Many newer systems handle MERV 11 to 13 fine, but check your system’s manual or ask an HVAC tech before going higher, and change these filters on schedule since a clogged one makes the problem worse.
  • Washable / reusable: Rinse and reuse, so less waste and no recurring cost. Generally filter less than a good pleated filter, and they must be completely dry before going back in or they can grow mold.
  • Electrostatic: Use a static charge to attract particles. Come in washable and disposable versions. Do better than fiberglass, but results vary and many don’t match a good pleated filter.
  • HEPA: The best at capturing tiny particles, but most home furnaces can’t push air through a true HEPA filter. They normally need a dedicated or modified system, so they aren’t a drop-in replacement.

Bottom line: for most homes a MERV 8 to 11 pleated filter, checked monthly and changed every 1 to 3 months, is the sweet spot between clean air and an easy-breathing furnace.

Tip: when you change it, make sure the arrow on the filter’s edge points toward the furnace (in the direction of airflow), and write the date on the frame so you know when it went in.

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Charcoal-Finished Beef Short Ribs

Illustrated placeholder of beef short ribs on a cutting board, not a photo of this recipe

Big, bone-in short ribs braised low in the oven until they’re tender, then finished over charcoal for smoke, bark and a sticky BBQ glaze. The oven does the hard part and the grill makes them taste like barbecue. You can braise them up to two days ahead and just grill them on the day.

Note: the picture on this page is a placeholder illustration, not a photo of this recipe. A real photo is coming the next time I make it.

Illustrated placeholder of beef short ribs on a cutting board, not a photo of this recipe

Charcoal-Finished Beef Short Ribs

Bone-in short ribs braised low in the oven until tender, then finished over charcoal for smoke, bark and a sticky BBQ glaze.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ribs
  • 4-5 lb bone-in English-cut beef short ribs about 8 pieces, 2½-3 inches long
Rub
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt Diamond Crystal; use 2 teaspoons if Morton
  • 1 tablespoon coarse black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder or ½ teaspoon cayenne for more heat
Braise
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 small onion thickly sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic smashed
Glaze
  • 1/2 cup braising liquid strained and defatted, from the pan
  • 1/2 cup BBQ sauce your favorite
  • 1 tablespoon honey optional
Grill
  • 1 full chimney charcoal lump or briquettes
  • 1-2 chunks hickory, oak or cherry wood fist-sized; optional, for smoke

Method
 

In the oven
  1. Trim and season: Trim the thick fat cap down to about ¼ inch and remove any silverskin on top. Pat the ribs dry. Mix the rub and coat the ribs on all sides. For best results, refrigerate uncovered on a rack overnight (a dry brine); otherwise let them sit 30 minutes.
  2. Set up the braise: Heat the oven to 275°F. Scatter the onion and garlic in a 9×13 baking dish or roasting pan and set the ribs on top, bone side down, in a single layer. Pour the broth, Worcestershire and vinegar into the pan around (not over) the ribs. The liquid should come only about ½ inch up the sides.
  3. Braise: Cover tightly with foil and bake 3 to 3½ hours, until a probe or skewer slides into the meat like soft butter (about 200-205°F internal). The meat should be pulling back from the bone but not falling off.
  4. Make the glaze: Pour the pan juices into a fat separator or measuring cup and spoon off the fat. Simmer ½ cup of the juices with the BBQ sauce (and honey, if using) in a small saucepan for 5 minutes, until it coats a spoon.
  5. Rest: Let the ribs rest uncovered while you light the grill. Make-ahead: you can stop here, cool, and refrigerate up to 2 days. Cold ribs hold together better on the grill; give them an extra 10-15 minutes on the indirect side to warm through.
On the charcoal grill
  1. Light a two-zone fire: Light a full chimney of charcoal. When the coals are covered in gray ash, dump them all on one side of the grill. That side is the direct (hot) zone; the empty side is the indirect (cool) zone. Add the wood chunks on top of the coals. Set the lid vents over the indirect side and aim for 300-325°F on the lid thermometer.
  2. Smoke indirect: Place the ribs bone side down on the indirect side, close the lid, and cook 20-25 minutes to take on smoke and dry the surface into a bark.
  3. Glaze: Brush the tops and sides with glaze, close the lid, and cook another 5-10 minutes until it sets and turns tacky.
  4. Sear direct: Move the ribs over the coals for 1-2 minutes per side, brushing on one more coat of glaze, just until it bubbles and lightly chars at the edges. Watch closely; sugar burns fast.
  5. Serve: Rest 5 minutes, then serve whole on the bone with the remaining glaze on the side.

Notes

Doneness cues: Out of the oven, the ribs should be probe-tender (about 200-205°F) with the meat shrinking back from the bone end. Off the grill, the glaze should be set and lacquered with lightly charred edges, and the inside back up to at least 150°F (higher if you grilled them from cold).
Buying: Ask the butcher for bone-in English-cut short ribs (single bones with 2 or more inches of meat on top), not flanken-cut.
All-grill option: Skip the oven and smoke the ribs on the indirect side at 275°F for 6-8 hours (a “snake” of briquettes along one side keeps the heat steady), wrapping in butcher paper or foil around 170°F, until probe-tender. It’s a full day of tending the fire, so the oven method is the easier version.
Plain Texas-style: Skip the glaze and just do the indirect smoke and a quick sear for a salt-and-pepper bark.
Leftover braising liquid makes a great gravy or a dip for French dip-style sandwiches.
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Chicken Wild Rice Soup

Illustrated placeholder of a bowl of chicken wild rice soup, not a photo of this recipe

A creamy, hearty chicken and wild rice soup that’s perfect for cold nights. The nutty wild rice, tender chicken and a thyme and rosemary broth make it filling enough for dinner on its own with some crusty bread.

Note: the picture on this page is a placeholder illustration, not a photo of this recipe. A real photo is coming the next time I make it.

Illustrated placeholder of a bowl of chicken wild rice soup, not a photo of this recipe

Chicken Wild Rice Soup

A creamy, hearty soup with nutty wild rice, tender chicken and vegetables in a thyme and rosemary broth.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups cooked wild rice or a wild rice blend, cooked according to package instructions
  • 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs diced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter divided
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 2 carrots sliced
  • 2 stalks celery sliced
  • 3-4 cloves garlic minced
  • 8 oz mushrooms (cremini or button) sliced; optional, for extra flavor
  • 6 cups chicken broth low-sodium preferred
  • 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half for a lighter soup
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour for thickening; optional (see notes for gluten-free)
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary or 1 tablespoon fresh
  • 1 bay leaf
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • fresh parsley chopped, for garnish (optional)

Method
 

  1. Cook the wild rice: Prepare the wild rice according to the package instructions (usually simmered in water or broth for 40-50 minutes). Set aside. Tip: cook extra for future meals.
  2. Brown the chicken: In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil or butter over medium heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook until browned and cooked through, 5-7 minutes. Remove and set aside.
  3. Sauté the vegetables: Add the remaining tablespoon of oil or butter to the same pot. Add the onion, carrots, celery and mushrooms (if using). Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
  4. Make the base: Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir, cooking 1-2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste. Slowly pour in the broth, stirring to prevent lumps. Add the thyme, rosemary and bay leaf.
  5. Simmer: Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add the cooked chicken and wild rice and simmer 15-20 minutes to meld the flavors.
  6. Add the cream: Stir in the cream and heat through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Too thick? Add a little more broth or water. Too thin? Simmer longer, or stir in a slurry of 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water.
  7. Serve: Remove the bay leaf. Ladle into bowls, garnish with parsley, and serve with crusty bread or crackers.

Notes

Creamy without flour: For a gluten-free or lighter version, skip the flour and blend a portion of the soup (without the rice or chicken) with an immersion blender to thicken it naturally. Cornstarch also works in place of flour.
Slow cooker: Sauté the vegetables and brown the chicken, then add everything except the cream to a slow cooker. Cook on low 6-8 hours or high 3-4 hours. Stir in the cream 30 minutes before serving.
Storage: Keeps in an airtight container in the fridge up to 4 days, or frozen up to 3 months. Cream can separate when frozen, so consider freezing it without the cream and adding it fresh when reheating.
Inspired by popular versions from Gimme Some Oven and Iowa Girl Eats.