Chicken Mushroom Bake

This is another versatile and comforting dish that works so well as both main dish and side, depending on how you fix it.

Leave out the meat and you have a wonderful mushroom side dish that is both filling and nutritious. Add some meat, and you have a full main dish.

Hope you enjoy it.

INGREDIENTS:
  For the meat:

• 2 chicken thighs, boneless, cubed
• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, minced
• salt and pepper
• EVOO

  For the veggies:

• 1 lb assorted mushrooms (if using any dried, hydrate in hot water for 20 minutes before slicing), sliced. 
• 1/2 c diced onions
• 1 c veggies of choice (saute or microwave al dente for hard to cook veggies)

  For the Sauce:

• 1 C cream
• 1/2 c grated parmesan cheese
• 1 C Manchego cheese, grated
• 1 clove garlic, microplaned
• 1 tbsp sage, minced
• 3/4 c ricotta cheese
• Juice of one lemon

1/2 lb pasta of choice, cooked al dente.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Put the chicken in a small bowl, sprinkle with the balance of the ingredients for the meat and drizzle with EVOO. Mix well. (Can be done in advance for a few hours)
2. Place in a saute pan and brown well. 
3. Add the mushrooms and onions to a separate pan and saute until mostly cooked through. Add the other veggies at the end, and warm through. 
4. For the Sauce: mix all the ingredients together. (If doing ahead, you can cover and place in the fridge. Add just before popping it in the oven. 
5. Cook the pasta al dente. Drain. 
6. In a good sized baking dish add the pasta, the chicken mixture, the mushroom mixture, and then the sauce. Spread the sauce, mix it all if you wish or merely allow it to sink in as it warms in the oven.
7. Place in 400 oven for 40 minutes or until it's starting to brown on top. 

SERVES: 6

NOTES: You can make this meatless. Add any veggies in addition to the mushroom that you wish. Change any of the cheese you wish. Manchego can be hard to find in non-Hispanic areas so substitute fontina or asiago, or gruyere. You can substitute ground beef for the chicken. You could also add something like corned beef. 

SOURCE: Adapted from NYTimes Cooking