The husband of our dear friend Rosana gave her a surprise birthday party at Sullivan’s, a trendy surf and turf restaurant in historic downtown Maryville, Tennessee. She only knew she was going to dinner with a couple of friends and was totally surprised to see all of us, about 25 guests in all, waiting for her in the restaurant. It was a wonderful evening enjoyed by all. You can read more about the evening and Sullivan’s at my That Food Guy blogspot.
I chose the penne pasta and vegetables in Alfredo sauce for my meal. It was a good choice and I thoroughly enjoyed my pasta. That was the inspiration for this selection where we have chosen to pair the basic recipe with our well received Tuscan chicken. We are happy with the end result and I think you will be too.
The inspiration for our version is from my meal at Sullivan’s Fine Food Restaurant located in Maryville, Tennessee. The photo is of my actual serving that night.
Mix all of the marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Place the chicken in a plastic bag and add the marinade ingredients. Gently squeeze out the air and seal the bag. Marinate, turning freqwuently aty least four hours, overnight is better.
Empty the bag with the chicken and marinade ingredients into a small saucepan. Add just enough chicken broth to cover and heat to a boil. Reduce heat to a very slow simmer, cover and braise until chicken is cooked through, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool, saving the cooking liquid.
When the chicken has cooled to a safe handling temperature, use two dinner forks to shred the chicken. Use spoons of the cooking liquid as needed to moisten the chicken and set aside.
Cook the penne pasta al dente per package instructions. Drain and set aside.
Simmer or steam the Italian vegetable mix until just tender. Drain well and set aside.
Add the shredded chicken and the steamed vegetables to the reserved pasta. Add the heated Alfredo sauce. Fold and mix until well combined.
Ladle individual servings of the pasta mixture onto plates or bowls. Liberally sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley. Serve with crusty French bread.