Mr. Nathan found a pasta he really wanted when we visited the charcuterie in Napa, and I was able to find the same kind (mezzi rigatoni) at our local grocery store for his Christmas stalking. He was very excited to make a cream sauce for his pasta so I asked him what kind of cheese he would like to use, since you can make a white sauce with any kind of cheese, (I’ve even used cottage cheese,) and he suggested Blue Cheese. After that I asked him what other flavor or herb he would like to include and he immediately asked for Thyme. So there you have the back story for this dinner. I hope you enjoy watching Nathan cook, and please ignore the ‘Christmas mess’ we have going on in our kitchen.
Blue/Gorgonzola Cheese White Sauce with Thyme, Chicken Breast, and Pasta
By: Semiserious Chefs, including Mr. Nathan
Serves: 2-3
Ingredients:
Because this dish was made from memory and not off a recipe these are the approximates for the ingredients we used. They are also noted in the video itself. You can play around with each to your liking, but this should be pretty close, and the sauce can be quite forgiving.
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- 2 Chicken Breasts
- Garlic powder, Thyme, Salt, and Pepper to taste
- 2 Tablespoons of Butter
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- 2 cups of milk
- 1 Tablespoon of Chicken Bouillon
- 1 Tablespoon of Butter
- 2 Tablespoons of Heavy Cream
- 1 cup of Gorgonzola or Blue Cheese crumbles
- 3 European Style Bacon slices, chopped
- 1 Tablespoon of Garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon of Thyme
- 2 teaspoons of pepper (to taste)
- 2 Tablespoons oil and 2-4 Tablespoons flour for Roux
- Fresh grated Parmesan cheese for topping
- 8 oz of dried pasta cooked according to the package directions
Directions:
- Add 2 T of butter to a large skillet over medium-high to melt, and add the chicken breasts. Let the breasts sear on each side, being sure not to burn the butter, then add a lid and let the chicken simmer in the butter over medium-low until cooked thoroughly (no pink and 165 °F in the center). Turn several times throughout.
- Add the milk, butter, bouillon, heavy cream, cheese, European bacon, thyme, garlic powder, and pepper to a medium pot over medium high and let come to a gentle simmer until all of the cheese is melted.
- While your sauce is warming make your roux. Add a couple tablespoons of oil or butter to a small skillet over medium-high until shiny and hot, then add one tablespoon of flour at a time, whisking to incorporate it. You can make this as thick or thin as desired, just don’t burn it. It shouldn’t be dark like peanut butter. This can be set aside to wait as needed or be used immediately.
- Add the roux to your simmering sauce one tablespoon at a time until you start to see it thicken. Remember that the sauce will thicken even more as it cools even the slightest bit when plated. If it ends up too thick simply add more milk. Adjust the seasonings to taste.
- Serve your sauce over the cooked noodles, with the sliced chicken breast. Top with fresh Parmesan cheese as desired.
- I suggest adding a side salad, a steamed vegetable such as green beans, asparagus, or broccoli, or a topping of diced tomatoes to round out your meal.
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