Sometimes the most beloved family recipes aren’t the ones trotted out once a year for special occasions, but instead, the work-day dinners that urge us to pause around the table in the middle of a busy week. Lake Minnetonka Magazine editorial advisory board member Miki Huntington shares one of her family’s go-to staples, and it’s taking on extra meaning this year. “We’re planning to go on a Mediterranean cruise next summer,” she says, so she and her fam love to bring Mediterranean flavors to their table, too. “We’ve been enjoying it for 15-plus years.”
Mediterranean Chicken Pasta
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 lb. skinless boneless chicken thighs, cubed (or rotisserie chicken)
- 1 8.5-oz. jar julienned sun-dried tomatoes
- 2 Tbsp. garlic, minced
- 1 lb. thin spaghetti or other pasta
- Handful fresh basil
- 1 8.5-oz. can artichoke hearts in water, quartered and drained
- 1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
- Salt and pepper to taste
Boil water for pasta. Separately, heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Brown chicken until no longer pink (3-5 minutes). Add sun-dried tomatoes and garlic to skillet and sauté for 2 minutes. In the meantime, add pasta to boiling water and cook until al dente. Add basil, artichoke hearts and olives to the skillet. Sauté 1 minute, then stir in heavy cream. Strain pasta and transfer to large bowl. Add the chicken sauté to the pasta and toss; top with feta cheese and season to taste.
