Chicken Farfalle with Sage Cream Sauce

I made this pasta for some friends the other day, and they loved it.  It is creamy, delicious, and packed with big flavors.  It was great for dinner and just as good cold the next day (maybe even better).

What You Need:

Bag of Farfalle (Bow-tie) Pasta

Olive Oil

1/2 Tablespoon Minced Garlic

1/2 Cup Pancetta

1 Cup Frozen Green Peas

1 Package White Button Mushrooms

Store Bought Roasted Chicken

2/3 Cup Dry White Wine

1 Cup Low- Sodium Chicken Broth or Stock

2/3 Cup Cream

1/3 Cup Chopped Fresh Sage

1/3 Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese

Some Butter

Fresh Lemon Juice

Salt & Pepper

To Start: First, go ahead and boil water for the pasta while preparing the rest of the ingredients.  Dice the pancetta and cook in a small amount of olive oil until crispy, and place aside in a small bowl for later.  Take the stems off the mushrooms and clean them using a wet paper towel.  Slice the mushrooms and sauté in a bit of butter.  At this point you can add the garlic, salt, and pepper to the pan and continue cooking until mushrooms are soft and brown.       

Next, take the skin off the roasted chicken and tear into bite size pieces.  Add the chicken to the pan of mushrooms, and toss in the green peas and the cooked pancetta.  Allow the ingredients to cook for a few minutes until the peas are warmed through but not mushy.   

Pour the mixture into a bowl and set aside until time for assembly.  Your water should be boiling by now, so liberally salt the water, add a splash of olive oil, and toss in the whimsical farfalle.  

The Sauce: To make the sauce, pour the wine into the same sauté pan used to cook the meat and veggies.  Allow the wine to cook down for about a minute or two before adding the chicken stock.  Again, allow the liquids to cook down for another minute or two.  Next, add the cream and sage to the sauce.  Squeeze in the juice of a lemon and add two tablespoons of butter.  Add 1/2 a teaspoon of salt and 1/2 a teaspoon of pepper. Taste the sauce for seasoning.  (Don't forget about the noodles! They should be done by now.) If the sauce is too acidic, add more cream. If the sauce is too creamy, add more wine or chicken stock.  Add more salt or pepper if it needs it.  Slowly bring the sauce to a boil and allow it to thicken.  The sauce should be thick enough to coat the noodles, but not as thick as an Alfredo sauce. (Note: To expedite the process, you can add a slurry of corn starch and water.  Just about a 1/2 a tablespoon of water with corn starch mixed in a small bowl before being added). Turn down to simmer. 

You should have already strained the noodles and put them back in the cooking pot.  Pour the bowl of meats and vegetables you have already cooked into the creamy sauce and toss together until everything is warm again.  Pour the sauce over the noodles and combine all together.  Serve and top with a bit more parmesan cheese. 

Enjoy!