spring tortellini

Is there any wrong time of the year to enjoy pasta?

I for one don’t think so, especially if you vary your ingredients to reflect the seasons. You won’t see me slaving over a bolognese during the summer months, that’s for sure.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs cheese tortellini, cooked according to directions

1/4 cup reserved pasta water, after cooking

1 1/2 lbs chicken tenders, cut into bite sized pieces

juice of one lemon

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground thyme

1/2 tsp trader joe’s onion salt

1 Tbsp avocado oil

3 slices proscuitto

4 Tbsp butter

1 cup english peas, shelled (could also sub snap pease, snow peas, or romano beans)

2 Tbsp butter

1/4 cup white wine

handful of fresh basil leaves

8 oz burrata, torn in pieces

Directions:

Place cut chicken in a large ziplock bag. Add lemon juice, pepper, salt, onion salt, and thyme. Seal bag, and massage marinade into chicken. Let sit in fridge 1 -2 hours before cooking.

Heat avocado oil in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add strips of prosciutto and cook until crispy. Remove prosciutto and place on paper towels to dry. Crumble.

Add 4 Tbsp of butter to pan.

Add chicken pieces. Sauté until browned.

Turn heat to low. Add peas.

Add reserved pasta water, 2 Tbsp butter, and white wine.

Sauté until peas are just tender. About 3 minutes.

Add cooked tortellini. Stir to combine.

Remove from heat.

Toss with fresh basil, prosciutto, and burrata.

Note: You can always make your life easier and substitute a store-bought rotisserie chicken, cooked or leftover chicken breasts for this recipe.