recipe | white cheddar chicken pasta

I hosted a Game Night with the girls this Wednesday and made this dish as our entree. I got this recipe from Homemade By Holman.  This is my second time making this dish and it was better this time around.  It makes a lot, and for a household with only two people, this lasted us a week.  Another plus is that I had all the ingredients already on hand. 

The only thing I did differently was the white cheddar part.  I couldn't find white cheddar cheese at either Walmart or Kroger, so I just bought two 8 oz bags of shredded cheddar cheese.  I guess that defeats the purpose of a white cheddar chicken pasta but hey, I don't discriminate!  I'll have to make my way to Market Street next time and actually buy white cheddar cheese and see if there's a big difference. 

I love it when a recipe calls for wine.  Gives me a good reason to have a glass while cooking!  Enjoy!

White Cheddar Chicken Pasta

Chicken
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces

1 tsp dry mustard

1 T fresh thyme

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 T olive oil

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Mix together mustard, thyme, salt and pepper and sprinkle over chicken pieces. When pan is hot, add chicken and brown about 3 minutes per side until cooked through. Remove to a plate and cover with foil.

Pasta
1 pound rotini or other short cut pasta

2 T butter

2 T flour

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small onion, finely diced

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 T Dijon mustard

8 oz sharp white cheddar cheese, grated (I put in 16 oz)

2 cups milk

1 T fresh thyme

1 T fresh oregano

Crushed red pepper flakes to taste

Parmesan cheese to taste

Heat water to boil in a large stock pot for pasta, add salt and pasta and cook to al dente and drain according to directions. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk to combine. Add wine, garlic, onions, and mustard. Cook about 5 minutes, until onions are translucent. Reduce heat to low and slowly add milk, stirring to combine. Cook about 5-7 minutes more until mixture begins to thicken. Add cheese and stir to melt. Add chicken and pasta and toss to incorporate sauce. Add thyme and oregano and serve topped with crushed red pepper flakes and Parmesan cheese.