No, it’s the dead of winter and not peak avocado time, but I picked up some ready-made guacamole for last weekend’s fish tacos, and only used one of the packages. It’s only 14° F outside today, so a bowl of warm creamy pasta seems like the right dish to curl up with for dinner. Even though the guacamole contains some traditional Mexican seasonings, like garlic and jalapeno peppers, it’s labeled as mild and will not turn the pasta into a Mexican pasta dish, if there is such a thing. Sour cream, another typical accompaniment to guacamole, some chopped tomatoes, and queso fresco will round out the pasta, which, in the end, is just a creamy warm past that no one would suspect has some Mexican connections.
I’m also, for a different texture in the final dish, deep frying the chicken cubes in a cornstarch coating.
Chicken and Creamy Avocado Pasta
This dish goes together quickly, and would be even easier if you already have some cooked chicken to add to the sauce.
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cubed
1/3-1/2 cup of cornstarch, for coating chicken
salt & pepper to taste
canola oil, or your favorite oil for frying
1 cup prepared, mild guacamole—if using fresh avocado, you might want to season with garlic and other seasonings
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup chicken stock
1 15oz can diced tomatoes, drained and rinsed or 1/2 cup fresh diced tomatoes
queso fresco cheese, crumbled
1/2 lb whole wheat farfalle pasta
Preparing the chicken:
- If frying the chicken, coat the cubes well with cornstarch and set aside. When ready to fry, add more cornstarch, if needed. The chicken should be well coated and dry.
- Fry in about 2 inches of oil at 350° for about 2-3 minutes or until golden brown, but not overcooked. Fry in batches, letting the oil come back to temperature between batches. I think I had about four batches.
- Set chicken aside to drain on paper towels, until ready to add to pasta.
Preparing the pasta and sauce:
- Boil the pasta of your choice as directed on package. I used a whole wheat pasta because we like the nutty taste, and because it has a lower glycemic index.
- In a large saute pan, combine guacamole, sour cream, and chicken stock. There is no need to thicken this sauce! Heat over low heat until it begins to bubble.
- Toss in pasta, fried chicken cubes, and diced tomatoes. Stir to combine and heat through for 1-2 minutes. Notice that I not only drained, but rinsed my canned tomatoes, because I didn’t want a pink sauce, or maybe red and green would make a brown sauce–yuk.
- Serve in bowls, garnished with crumbled cheese.
Frying the chicken was a nice choice that added an interesting texture and flavor to the dish. It would be interesting with some shredded, poached chicken as well.
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