Dessert for Two

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Dinner for Two: Engagement Chicken Pasta

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Engagement Pasta: Creamy Mushroom Chicken Pasta for two!

The other day, Joy got me thinking about Engagement Chicken.  Not only how silly it is, but also how important food is if it can garner such a response. Truthfully, I never made engagement chicken until I was done well married, but I have made it, and yes, it’s freaking fantastic. But it’s not just that–it’s a life skill learned in trussing and roasting a chicken..which is probably why they say if you can roast a chicken, you have marriage skillz? I do not know.

Let’s not assign good meals to married folk only. A good meal deserves a place in your wheelhouse. This pasta is one of those impressive dishes that you should master and keep in your back pocket for a special occasion. (By the way, a special occasion is mopping and vacuuming your whole house, instead of doing one or the other. Or, Tuesday. Tuesday works, too).

Engagement Pasta! Mushroom Chicken Pasta for Two

I’m a huge fan of pasta with cream sauce. (who isn’t?) But, I discovered a quick way to make a cream sauce that doesn’t require an extra skillet! After I deglaze the mushroom pan with a hefty dose of wine, I pour the hot wine into a big bowl for tossing the pasta. Then, I add the cream cheese, cut into cubes. Top with the hot pasta, right out of the boiling water, and toss, toss, toss. The cream cheese will melt and coat the noodles so lovingly. It’s the best. It’s worthy of diamonds. Or an entire bottle of wine to yourself. Whatevs.

The first time you make this dish, it will be a bit of a blur. It has a handful of steps, but you’ll find your rhythm get better each time you make it. And you will be making this over and over, trust me. And you won’t be single for long, trust me. Or maybe you will. Maybe it’s not your cooking skills; maybe it’s your breath. Just sayin’.

XO

Dinner for Two: Engagement Pasta

Yields 2

10 minPrep Time

30 minCook Time

40 minTotal Time

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Ingredients

  • 6 ounces dried spaghetti
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 10 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 10 ounces sliced mushrooms
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • salt
  • 2 small chicken breasts
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and cook the spaghetti noodles.
  2. Meanwhile, in a large not non-stick skillet, melt the butter and thyme over medium heat.
  3. Add the sliced mushrooms to the skillet, and stir to coat in butter. Leave them to cook for a few minutes undisturbed so that a nice crust forms. Stir, and repeat until the mushrooms are golden brown. It will take about 15 minutes.
  4. Using a slotted spoon, remove the mushrooms from the pan, leaving the butter and thyme in the pan. Add the oil to the pan.
  5. Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken breasts.
  6. Turn the heat up to medium-high, and sear the chicken breasts on both sides in the same pan that the mushrooms were in. Again, let cook undisturbed so that a nice crust forms. If the chicken is sticking to the pan, it's because the first side isn't done searing. It will release when it's golden brown.
  7. Remove the chicken from the pan, and cover to keep warm.
  8. Turn the heat down to low and add all of the wine
  9. Allow the wine to cook down slightly while scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to get all of the brown bits into the wine.
  10. Dice the cream cheese and place in a large bowl.
  11. Discard the thyme sprigs from the pan, and then pour the hot wine over the cream cheese, and stir until it melts. There might be a few small pieces, but the hot pasta will dissolve them.
  12. When the pasta is done, drain it, and immediately pour it over the wine-cream cheese mixture. Toss the noodles to melt and evenly distribute the cream cheese sauce.
  13. Stir the mushrooms into the pasta bowl.
  14. Slice the chicken, and serve on top.
  15. *This pasta is best served immediately after making it. The cream cheese will set up if allowed to set. Not that you can't re-heat it, but it will be t-h-i-c-k. Plan accordingly.
7.8.1.2
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https://www.dessertfortwo.com/dinner-for-two-engagement-pasta/

 

 

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Comments

  8. Is there a decent substitute for white wine? I do not want to open a bottle just for it and I am not drinking at the moment - otherwise would have gladly enjoyed the rest of the bottle while cooking!
    Reply

  9. Would there be a substitute for cream cheese that I could use? I have a mental block when using cream cheese in savoury dishes.
    Reply

    • I've been cooking for 30+ years, and I still can't stand to touch them. I just take the chicken half way out of the package, and then shake it until the gizzards fall out (they are in a neat bag) then I tie a knot in the bag and throw it away (along wtih the tail). Good luck!
      Reply

  12. Hi Christina, I've wondered off and on for many years how one is suppose to measure out 6 oz of pasta be it macaroni or spagetti if you don't have a kitchen scale. My method is eye balling it but 9 times out of 10 I cook too much. Any suggestions? Thanks Sandra
    Reply

    • Hi Sandra! Great question! I do use a scale. But, I was thinking...have you ever seen those tools that portion out pasta for you? It's like a spatula with holes in it--the amount of pasta that fits through the hole is per serving size. Also, most of the pasta I buy is in a 12-ounce box, so I eye-ball half sometimes. Best of luck! :) Christina
      Reply

  13. I'm making this tonight and I can't get away from the fact that the recipe doesn't have any garlic. Is the sauce flavorful with thyme being the only herb/spice aside from the salt/pepper on the chicken? Looking forward to dinner, for sure!!!! Thank you for the recipe and pics!!!
    Reply

  14. First let me say that this recipe is great, my date and I enjoyed it very much...However, I think that an amendment to the instructions is in order. With the first step being " cook the noodles," it creates a literally impossible time standard for cooking the mushrooms, the chicken, the wine, and making the sauce. I found that there was a lull in my activity when the chicken was cooking, so I think that step one should be move down between steps six and seven. On my next Engagement Chicken endeavor I will be sure to make this change, and in the spirit of perfectionism, I hope you consider my suggestion. Thanks for this great recipe!
    Reply

  15. Sounds scrumptious but I'm going to brave it with beef tenderloin in lieu of chicken, as the three men in my life are allergic to poultry. Valentines is just a couple of days away - cant wait to try it. Measuring pasta is never a concern in my home..my 2 boys will finish off whatever is leftover.
    Reply

  16. The creamy white sauce is most delightful! I made this once before for my last boyfriend, but something seemed amiss. Tomorrow, I plan to try this again for my new boyfriend. By putting some of the extra white sauce in a turkey baster and giving myself a cream pie, without a doubt he'll be turned on and want to marry me.
    Reply

  18. Ok. So this will be my first time making this and I have never cooked with any wine but I got it anyway. Any pointers when using it??
    Reply

  19. Wow! Sounds amazingly simple yet delicious. However, my boyfriend is allergic to mushrooms. Can you recommend a substitute please for them? By the way, he's the one I'm hoping to encourage to propose sooner considering we both do want to marry each other and this dish sounds like my secret weapon. I mean it's been five years. How much more time does this man need? Lol.
    Reply

  21. I am planning to make this tonight. What side dishes would you recommend with this meal? regular garden salad perhaps? or roasted asparagus? thank you!
    Reply

    • If you are leery of mushrooms, try the baby bellas or Crimini mushrooms instead of the standard white button variety. Baby bellas are creamy tan, not white, and they have a rich, almost meaty flavor. That is why the big ones, Portobellos, are often used as a meat substitute. You can also quarter them, or even roughly chop them into smaller pieces than slices. They tend to meld more with other flavors in the dish then. As opposed to taking a bite and thinking, "Wow, that was a mushroom, whew!" It becomes more of a "This has an interesting layer to it, I'm not quite sure what it is, but it really enhances the dish!
      Reply

  24. Hey Christina! I tried this today and it turned out so great! Although I did add a bit more cream cheese haha. Looking forward to more posts here!
    Reply

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