EASY ONE SKILLET CHICKEN ALFREDO

Recently, I delivered a Viking 52 C from Palmas del Mar, Puerto Rico to Miami with Capt. Devon Tull as my co-captain. We pulled into Turtle Cove Marina in Providenciales, Turks and Caicos from Dominican Republic, at the start of four day blow. We enjoyed a nice post-bash dinner at Mango’s Reef, but the bill came to $114.00 for two! On crew pay, that’s nice after a hard 9 hour run in 15-20 knot head winds, but it’s a little too much on the per diem side to maintain during a weather delay.

Providenciales is a terrific layover. Most everything a transient boat would need can be found here.  A large DYI hardware and well stocked NAPA stores takes care of the boat needs. And the Graceway IGA is a modern supermarket that has everything I need for this dish, and more. This simple one skillet dish is super easy to make with just a couple of store bought items.

 INGREDIENTS:

2 tbsp. Italian dressing (not the creamy kind)

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts  cut into cubes

10 oz. small/medium sized penne pasta

1 16 oz. jar of your favorite Alfredo sauce.

1 tbsp. dried oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

½ c. shredded mozzarella cheese

½ c. grated parmesan cheese

1 ½ c. sun dried tomatoes

Fresh chopped parsley as garnish

PREPARATION:

Heat chicken and Italian dressing in a large 12 inch skillet over medium high heat (If you don't own a large skillet, you can use a stock pot). Season chicken with salt and pepper to taste.

Cook chicken until browned and just cooked through, about 5 minutes depending on thickness of chicken.

Add the box of pasta and the entire jar of Alfredo. Add ½  the empty marinara jar with water and add to the skillet. If using a stockpot, use 2 cups water. Add the salt and pepper to taste and the dried oregano. Lightly stir the mixture to combine.

Bring mixture to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until pasta is tender to your liking. Stir in the sun dried tomatoes. Cover with grated parmesan and then shredded mozzarella. No need to stir. Continue to cook for 2-3 more minutes or until cheese is fully melted. You can also broil the entire skillet for about 4 minutes to make the cheese extra melty! Top with chopped parsley and serve! Enjoy, JW