Farfalle with Chicken, Cremini Mushrooms, and Swiss Chard

There was a time when I had trouble with pasta. My father used to call me Pasqualina for the amount of tortellini I consumed on a weekly basis. Looking back, if pasta was a drug, I’d be dead by now. I wonder if other people have suffered from pasta addiction.

Before calories had any meaning, I could easily eat a pound of it myself. Then when calories began sticking to me, I gave it up and no longer considered it a staple. But it’s been a long time and since then, I’ve decided that life is too short never to eat pasta.

Instead, I’ve decided I can be mindful of the amount of carbohydrates I consume and keep my pasta intake to a minimum, making each time count.

This dish is only 515 calories packed with 30 grams of protein and only 64 grams of carbohydrates, 6 grams of sugar and a total fat content of 16 grams. If I only have it once every few months, that’s hardly a reason to send me to rehab.

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large or 2 small shallots, sliced
• 1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
• ¼ cup water
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
• ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 ¼ cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 (12-ounce) bunch of Swiss chard, center stems removed, leaves chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 1/3 cup mascarpone cheese, room temperature
• 1 pound farfalle pasta
• 2 cups (1/2-inch) diced cooked skinless chicken breast

  Directions:

  1. In a large sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
  2. Add the shallots and mushrooms and cook until tender, 10 to 12 minutes.
  3. Add the water, thyme, ½ teaspoon of the salt, and ¼ teaspoon of the pepper.
  4. Simmer until the water has mostly evaporated, about 3 minutes.
  5. Pour in the broth and bring to a simmer.
  6. In batches, add the chard and cook until wilted, about 7 minutes.
  7. Season with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.
  8. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the mascarpone.
  9. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
  10. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but still firm to the bite, 8 to 10 minutes.
  11. Drain, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water.
  12. Transfer pasta to a large bowl.
  13. Add the mushroom sauce and chicken to the pasta.
  14. Toss until all ingredients are coated, then serve.

  Source: Giada’s Feel Good Food