Chicken Artichoke Pasta

So for Mother's Day I decided to use the baby artichokes from this week's AHO box and make mom homemade pasta with a chicken and artichoke alfredo sauce. Along with the pasta, I made focaccia bread, recipe courtesy of King Arthur Flour, and salad with the fresh tomatoes, sugar snap peas and lettuce from AHO.

Chicken and Artichoke Pasta
Serves 4

Ingredients

1 pound fettuccine pasta, cooked just before serving
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 1/2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup chardonnay (or other dry white wine)
1 cup chicken stock
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup cream
8 baby artichokes, cleaned halved and steamed (or 1 can artichoke hearts in water)
1 cup shredded Italian blend cheese
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon
salt
pepper

Directions

Season chicken with poultry seasoning, salt and pepper and place medium sauce pan with bay leaves and cover with water. Bring water to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked through, 10 - 12 minutes. Remove and shred the chicken into small pieces. Set aside.

While the chicken cooks, heat the olive oil and butter in a deep saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and season with salt and pepper and cook until onions are translucent (5-7 minutes), stirring occasionally. Turn the heat down if the onions and garlic begin to brown. Sprinkle the flour over the cooked onion and garlic and stir for 1 minute, then whisk in the white wine. Add the stock and stir for 1 minute, then stir in the milk, cream and tarragon. Allow the sauce to simmer for a couple of minutes over low heat, then stir in the artichokes and chicken and heat through. Melt the Italian cheese into the sauce and turn off the heat. Serve over freshly cooked pasta.

Fresh Pasta
Yeild ~1.5 pounds of pasta

3 cups of King Arthur Pasta Blend (or all purpose flour)
4 eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon water

Place the flour, eggs, salt, oil and 1 teaspoon of water in a food processor. Pulse until the ingredients are thoroughly combined, scraping down the sides occasionally. If the dough does not stick together when pinched between your fingers, add the remaining water and pulse to combine.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Press the dough into a ball and let rest for 30 minutes.

Kneed and roll out the dough using the stand mixer pasta roller attachment to setting 5. Cut into desired shape and cook for 2-3 minutes in boiling water just before serving or let dry for 1-2 hours and freeze for later use.