Possible Cooking Methods: Stovetop Pressure Cooker
This is a rich, creamy pasta dish that can be made on the stovetop or in the pressure cooker. The noodles cook right in the sauce, which not only flavors the noodles, but also helps to thicken the sauce at the same time. Tarragon and sherry pair so nicely together in this dish. You can use either sweet or dry sherry, but you’ll end up with very different results. If you like foods on the sweeter side, go with a sweet sherry. Otherwise, I recommend a dry version. Either way, if you’re looking for a warm, comforting pasta, this just might be your dish.
1 teaspoon olive oil
1½ pounds chicken breast (about 3), cut into cubes
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons butter
½ onion, diced
3 carrots, halved and sliced
8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup sherry
3 cups chicken stock*
⅔ cup heavy cream
4 cups dried extra wide egg noodles (12 ounces)
½ cup frozen peas
1 cup grated Swiss cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
*Quantity changes for alternate methods
Stovetop Directions
Serves:4 to 6
Cooking Time:25 minutes
1. Heat the olive oil in a large 12-inch skillet. Season the chicken with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Brown the chicken cubes on all sides. Remove the browned chicken from the pan and set aside.
2. Add the butter, onion and carrots and sauté for a few minutes, until the onions start to soften. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and sauté for a few more minutes until all the vegetables begin to soften. Stir in the flour and cook for a minute or two. Add the sherry and bring it to a simmer until the mixture has thickened. Pour in the chicken stock and heavy cream, continue to simmer and stir until the sauce is completely smooth. Stir in the dried egg noodles.
3. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Return the browned chicken to the pan, add the peas and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes, until the noodles are cooked. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the Swiss cheese and tarragon. Let it sit for a few minutes. The sauce will thicken a little and it will cool to an edible temperature. Serve with a butter lettuce salad.
Additional Cooking Directions for
Creamy Tarragon Chicken and Egg Noodles
Pressure Cooker Directions
Serves:4 to 6
Cooking Time:25 minutes
Change Ingredients: Reduce chicken stock to 2 cups
1. Pre-heat a 6-quart multi-function pressure cooker using the BROWN or SAUTE setting.
2. Season the chicken with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Brown the chicken cubes on all sides. Remove the browned chicken from the cooker and set aside.
3. Add the butter, onion and carrots and sauté for a few minutes, until the onions start to soften. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and sauté for a few more minutes until all the vegetables begin to soften. Stir in the flour and cook for a minute or two. Add the sherry and bring it to a simmer until the mixture has thickened. Pour in the chicken stock and heavy cream, continue to simmer and stir until the sauce is completely smooth. (If your cooker doesn’t have a brown setting, use a skillet on the stovetop for the steps above and transfer the contents to the cooker now.) Stir in the dried egg noodles. Return the chicken to the cooker, cover and lock the lid in place.
4. Pressure cook on HIGH for 6 minutes.
5. Release the pressure using the QUICK-RELEASE method and carefully remove the lid.
6. Stir in the peas, Swiss cheese and tarragon. Return the lid to the pot and let it sit for a few minutes. The sauce will thicken a little, the peas will heat through, the cheese will melt and everything will cool to an edible temperature. Serve with a butter lettuce salad.