Napa Dave's Cavatelli & Chicken

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 carrots, diced
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 large sage leaves, chopped (or use 1 tsp dry)
• 1 dash red pepper flakes (optional)
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into 4 pieces each)
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 lb cavatelli pasta (fresh is best- may substitute other pasta if desired)
• parmesan cheese
• fresh parsley, minced for garnish

Recipe

• 1 in a dutch oven or large pot, saute the onion, carrots, sage, bay leaf and optional red pepper flakes together (over medium high heat) until lightly browned. add the chicken a few pieces at a time and continue to cook until well browned.
• 2 reduce the heat to low. add the chicken broth and simmer for about 25 more minutes. add salt and pepper to taste.
• 3 meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the cavatelli until just done, about 10 minutes. drain.
• 4 in a small bowl, stir the butter and flour together to form a paste. remove the bay leaf from the pot. remove about one cup of the cooking liquid and whisk into the flour mixture. whisk this back into the pot and mix well.
• 5 simmer until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes.
• 6 stir in the cooked cavatelli and simmer until just heated through.
• 7 top with parmesan cheese and minced parsley if desired.