Crockpot Italian Chicken

Perfect for busy weeknights or lazy weekends, this Crockpot Italian Chicken is a flavorful and easy dish to prepare. The result is tender, juicy chicken with savory Italian flavors that the whole family will love. Whether you serve it over pasta, rice, or with a side of vegetables, this Crockpot Italian Chicken is sure to become a go-to favorite in your meal rotation.

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) bottle Italian dressing (such as Olive Garden℠ Signature Italian Dressing)

• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Directions

1. Stir Italian dressing and Parmesan cheese together in a bowl.

2. Place chicken in a slow cooker, and pour dressing mixture over chicken.

3. Cover and cook on Low until chicken is tender, no longer pink in the center, and the juices run clear, about 8 hours.

Fully Loaded Carbonara

Chicken carbonara is a classic Italian dish that never fails to satisfy the palate. This indulgent pasta dish combines tender pieces of chicken with rich and creamy carbonara sauce.

Ingredients

• 6 slices bacon, chopped

• 1 ½ pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

• salt and ground black pepper to taste

• 3 cloves garlic

• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

• ½ cup white wine

• 1 ½ cups grated Parmesan cheese

• 3 large eggs

• 1 gallon water

• 1 pound spaghetti

• 2 cups frozen peas

Directions

1. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove bacon from skillet with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Drain fat from skillet, reserving 2 tablespoons of the bacon drippings.

2. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon bacon drippings in the skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken breast halves in the bacon drippings until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 5 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Transfer to cutting board and tent with foil. Rest chicken for 5 minutes before slicing; set aside.

3. Heat remaining tablespoon bacon drippings in skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Cook and stir garlic and ground black pepper in skillet until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour wine into skillet; cook at a simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

4. Whisk Parmesan cheese and eggs together in a bowl. Slowly stream wine mixture into the Parmesan mixture while whisking continually.

5. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Remove 1/2 cup of the water from the pot for later use.

6. Put the peas in a large colander. Drain the pasta in the colander with the peas. Return drained pasta and peas to the pot. Stir bacon, chicken, and wine mixture into the spaghetti. Thin sauce with reserved pasta water as desired.

Pasta Aglio E Olio

When it comes to spaghetti we tend to think red sauce, but that can get a little boring.  There's more than one way to prepare spaghetti!  Pasta Aglio E Olio, which translates as "spaghetti with garlic and oil" is a dead simple recipe.  You can count the basic ingredients on one hand!  ...  However, the basic recipe can be expanded on with a wide range of additional ingredients.

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried spaghetti
• 1/3 cup good olive oil
• 8 large garlic cloves, cut into thin slices
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons of salt and the pasta and cook until al dente. Set aside 1 1/2 cups of the pasta cooking water before you drain the pasta.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a pot large enough to hold the pasta, such as a 12-inch saute pan or a large, shallow pot. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until it just begins to turn golden on the edges-don't overcook it! Add the red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds more. Carefully add the reserved pasta-cooking water to the garlic and oil and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, add 1 teaspoon of salt, and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the liquid is reduced by about a third.

Add the drained pasta to the garlic sauce and toss. Off the heat, add the parsley and toss well. Allow the pasta to rest off the heat for 5 minutes for the sauce to be absorbed. Taste for seasoning and serve warm with Parmesan on the side.

When it comes to additional ingredients, the sky is the limit.  Popular options include the addition of extra herbs like thyme to the sauce as it cooks.  You can also finish up by adding a squeeze of lemon with the parsley.  Then you can also add things like Parmesan cheese to the mix or cook shrimp in the sauce for some added flavor.