Pasta recipes

A fast chicken and pasta skillet where bottled Italian dressing does double duty, browning the chicken and saucing the vegetables. Served over spaghetti with parmesan, ready in about 25 minutes.

Chicken, country ham, and peas in a creamy fricassee sauce with milk and a pinch of cloves, served over pasta or rice. A Southern-style chicken fricassee with salty ham and sweet peas.

Easy chicken cacciatore with strips of chicken breast, mushrooms, red and green bell peppers, and a kick of red pepper flakes. The classic Italian hunter's stew adapted for a 45-minute weeknight dinner.

Chicken breast sauteed with garlic, onions, and bell peppers, tossed with thin spaghetti in a quick crushed tomato sauce with basil and oregano. Light, lean, and done in 35 minutes.

Butter-seared chicken breast simmered in white wine, heavy cream, and chewy sun-dried tomatoes with a hint of Cajun spice. Ready in 40 minutes, serve over pasta for a rich weeknight dinner.

Thai street-style dry egg noodles (Bamee Haeng) tossed with garlic oil, fish sauce, and sweet-sour sauce. Topped with bean sprouts, ground peanuts, and your choice of meat.

Mexican chicken noodle casserole made in the microwave with cheddar, sour cream, jalapenos, mushrooms, and sliced almonds over a tortilla-lined base. Ready in 30 minutes.

Cold egg noodles tossed in a creamy Sichuan peanut sauce with sesame oil, chili oil, lime, and dark soy, topped with shredded chicken, green beans, scallions, and cilantro. Served at room temperature.

An Italian spinach lasagna with a slow-simmered meat sauce of ground beef, pancetta, chicken livers, and dried porcini mushrooms layered with ricotta and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Old-world flavor in every bite.

White sauce lasagna layered with chicken, ham, asparagus, mushrooms, mozzarella, and Parmesan. A make-ahead twist on classic lasagna that skips the red sauce entirely.

A simple but succulent chicken dish that can be served with pasta, rice or a crusty bread.

Chicken livers browned in bacon drippings, simmered in dry sherry and tomato sauce with mushrooms, onions, and herbs. Served over rice, polenta, or pasta with grated Parmesan. Ready in 20 minutes.

Once upon a time I was reading a magazine article about good cooking. The journalist tried to convince me not to use some combinations of ingredients. One of the "banned" combinations mentioned was green and black olives. And so this soup was born to enjoy me.

Dutch spiced chicken soup (Hollandse Kippesoep) slow-simmered with mace, cloves, rosemary, and thyme. Rich bone broth with vermicelli and tender pulled chicken.

Golden chicken, artichoke hearts, mushrooms, and mostaccioli pasta tossed in a velvety homemade bechamel sauce with a pinch of cayenne. An Italian-American comfort bowl ready in 30 minutes.

Chicken marinara made with a fast homemade tomato sauce of diced tomatoes, tomato paste, red wine, and basil spooned over cooked chicken pieces. A 25-minute weeknight Italian dinner with pantry staples.