A classic combination of tomatoes and cream, pretty common in Indian as well as Italian cuisines, and loved by people from all over the world… this Creamy Tomato Chicken Pasta is my absolute favorite! Its rich, easy to whip up, and the velvety sauce is a perfect balance of tanginess and creaminess which tastes incredible right from the first bite. This recipe is very similar to an Indian style Butter chicken but with some variations to the spices used.

The key to any pasta dish is the perfection in the cooking of the pasta and not allowing it to dry. So, make sure to cook your pasta just al dente. The tomato paste gives the color and the flavor, and combining it with spices and cream gives you the creamy dreamy pasta which is so perfect for your date nights or get togethers.

A few pointers:

1. This is a toddler approved recipe and always a hit for our kids’ parties.
2. You can make the vegetarian version of this pasta by swapping chicken with vegetables. Veggies like mushroom, broccoli, spinach, bell peppers work well with this recipe.
3. Shrimp is also a great substitute for chicken in this dish.
4. Although I highly recommend tomato paste, you can use fresh tomatoes, marinara sauce or canned diced tomatoes. Make sure to cook them well until it is thickened and reduced to a thick saucy consistency.
5. How to store: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an air tight container for up to 3-4 days.

Interested in other pasta recipes? Check these out:

1. White Sauce Chicken Pasta
2. Spaghetti and Meatballs
3. Spaghetti with Mushroom and Peas
4. Shrimp Fettucine Alfredo

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate us if you love it!

Print

Creamy Tomato Chicken Pasta

Creamy Tomato Pasta with Chicken! A Delicious Pasta packed with Tomato flavors put together in just 30 minutes. Pair it up with your Favorite Wine for the Perfect Meal on your Dinner Nights!!!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword chicken pasta, creamy tomato pasta, pasta

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 5

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 2 cups rigatoni pasta (or any pasta of your choice)
• 3 chicken breasts (thinly sliced)
• 4 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 medium yellow/white onion (finely chopped)
• 6 oz canned tomato paste
• 1 tsp chili flakes
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1½ cup heavy cream
• 1 cup pasta water (reserved)
• 2 tbsp butter/olive oil
• ¼ cup parmesan cheese + topping
• Parsley (garnish)
• Salt (as required)

Instructions

• Preparation of pasta: Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Before draining the pasta, reserve 1 cup of the cooked pasta water.
• Preparation of chicken: In a pan, heat some oil on medium flame and cook the chicken with salt and pepper, until cooked through and slightly browned. Remove from the pan and keep aside.
• Make the sauce: Into the same pan, add butter. Once it is melted, add garlic and sauté until it turns fragrant.
• Add onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes until it turns soft.
• Add tomato paste and mix well. Followed by adding the spices; oregano, chili flakes, salt and pepper. Add the reserved pasta water and allow it to cook for 2 minutes.
• Add the heavy cream and cooked chicken, mix well, let it cook for 3 minutes until it is slightly thickened but still saucy. Check for the seasoning.
• Add the drained pasta, toss them together and top with parmesan cheese and parsley. Serve hot.

The post Creamy Tomato Chicken Pasta appeared first on Pepper Delight.

This Chicken Lo Mein Recipe – Easy, Satisfying, Delicious, and Comforting…!

So, let’s talk about comfort food today…We all have our own Comfort Food Haven! It usually consists of dishes from our native cuisine and may extend to a few from other cuisines too. They become an integral part of our life; be it a day when you are not in a good mood / unwell, or while away and miss your home n family, or even just lazy on a weekend and longing to cook a quick meal. Apart from Indian dishes I do have my collection of comfort foods, especially the ones which I can cook in 30 minutes or less on my lazy days. And among those, Asian recipes take the top spot! In India, we are so familiar with Asian recipes like stir fry noodles, fried rice, momos, & manchurian recipes, although the preparations differ mainly from a spice stand point with lots of pepper, vinegar and some soya sauce added, to make the Indianized versions of them complete. And if you didn’t know, in India these dishes are a major attraction at road side eateries too.

I am a big fan of Stir fry noodle recipes; be it Indianized, Lo Mein or Pad Thai, I just love it! This Chicken Lo Mien recipe is one of my favorites which I keep on repeating often. I can confidently say that this is the easiest foolproof recipe of Chicken Lo Mein, and all it takes is just 30 minutes to cook.  The sauce in this recipe is a Star, and you should now seriously consider skipping the Chinese takeouts and make your own Chicken Lo Mein at home with this simple homemade sauce. It is flavorful, light, slightly sweet, and the best part of all – like any Asian recipe, you can modify it with your choice of veggies and protein. (Check Notes)

Pro tip: Start preparing your noodles in a pot parallelly while you cook chicken and veggies in a wok/pan. While everything is cooking, prepare the sauce too in a separate bowl. That’s a Superman’s work, I know, but this can save you time as everything comes together easily and all you need do in the end is it to toss all four (chicken, veggies, noodles, sauce) and Enjoy…!!

Cheers, Happy Cooking…!

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate us if you love it!

Print

Chicken Lo Mein

Stir Fried Chicken Lo Mein Noodles with Veggies tossed in a simple Homemade Sauce… So Easy and Yummilicious, better than your Chinese takeout…!!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Chinese

Keyword chicken lo mein

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 3

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the sauce

• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 3 tbsp low sodium soya sauce
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• Pinch of red chili flakes

For the Chicken Lo Mein

• 1 boneless skinless chicken breast (cut into thin strips)
• 8 oz. Egg noodles / Chinese Lo Mein noodles / Udon / Spaghetti
• 2 garlic (minced)
• ½ inch sized ginger (minced)
• 1 red bell pepper (sliced)
• 1 carrot (sliced into sticks)
• 1 cup broccoli florets
• Spring onions (finely chopped)
• Sesame seeds (garnish)
• Sesame oi/vegetable oil (as required)
• Salt and pepper (as required)

Instructions

• Cook the noodles according to package directions. Drain the noodles and toss in some oil to prevent sticking. Keep aside.
• Prepare the sauce by whisking the ingredients listed for the sauce in a small bowl and set aside for later use.
• Heat some oil in a pan / wok on medium heat and add chicken strips. Season with salt and pepper. Cook the chicken for 3-4 minutes until it is cooked well on both sides and no longer pink inside. Remove from the pan and keep aside.
• In the same pan add oil (if necessary), sauté ginger and garlic until fragrant, followed by adding sliced veggies, and season with salt n pepper. Cook for 2 minutes or until the veggies are soft.
• Transfer the cooked noodles and chicken, to the pan with veggies. Pour the prepared sauce, toss for 2 minutes to mix everything together.
• Garnish with chopped spring onions and sesame seeds.
• Serve hot immediately.

Notes

1. Choice of Ingredients:
   • Veggies: Bell Pepper, Broccoli, Carrots, Beans, Bean sprouts, Mushroom, Cabbage, Zucchini, Bok Choy, Snow Peas.
   • Protein: Chicken, Beef, Shrimp, Egg, Tofu, Paneer

The post Chicken Lo Mein appeared first on Pepper Delight.

I love trying out Global Cuisines with something new, time after time. Otherwise, my husband will get bored with me repeating the same set of dishes every week and more than that, I get bored cooking the same food. Our regular diet consists of homely Indian dishes, Asian foods, salads, hummus and pasta. Although weekly meal planning is challenging especially when you need to maintain your regular diet and dishes, I love experimenting new recipes for my blog.

Asian inspired meals are frequent in my kitchen, but I hardly post them on my blog. They are pretty easy to prepare as you require minimal ingredients and result in a dish full of flavor. The recipes are best suited for a quick lazy dinner, and also to finish off your leftovers in your pantry in a single dish. And Teriyaki Chicken is one of my favorite dishes among them all.

Teriyaki is not the name of a dish, it’s a cooking method in Japanese cuisine where the food is either broiled or grilled and then summed up with a sweet glaze of soya sauce, mirin and sugar.  The sauce, in general is thick, sweet n salty, but has been adapted into a lot many variations by chefs around the world.

There is nothing better than a homemade teriyaki sauce. I know it’s much easier to walk into a store and buy one of the many options of teriyaki sauces available, but once you realize how easy it is to prepare at home, I’m sure you wouldn’t want to compromise on the taste and quality of a homemade recipe. Just using the simple ingredients in your pantry, you can make a teriyaki sauce in just a few minutes. It is a wonderful marinade for cooking any teriyaki inspired dishes like kebabs, sandwiches & fried rice.  In this recipe, you can also replace chicken with tofu, beef, pork, salmon, or your favorite veggies.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking!!!

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog and rate to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare.

Print

Teriyaki Chicken and Veggies

Teriyaki Chicken & Veggies in a Delicious Homemade Teriyaki Sauce…! A simple Dish in 30 minutes… Perfect with Noodles, Quinoa, or White Rice…!  

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Japanese

Keyword teriyaki, teriyaki chicken, teriyaki sauce

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 1½ pound skinless chicken breast (cubed)
• 1 white onion (chopped)
• 1 red bell pepper (sliced)
• 2 carrots (cubed)
• 1 zucchini (cubed)
• 1 cup broccoli florets
• oil (as required)
• salt and pepper (as required)
• sesame seeds (garnish, optional)
• spring onions (chopped, garnish, optional)

For the Teriyaki Sauce

• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp minced ginger
• ¼ cup low sodium soya sauce
• ½ cup water
• 3 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp corn starch

Instructions

• Prepare the teriyaki sauce by mixing ginger, garlic, soya sauce, honey, cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Stir until smooth, keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pan, cook the chicken with salt and pepper until it is golden brown on both sides. Transfer it to a separate bowl.
• In the same pan, on a medium heat saute the sliced veggies (except broccoli and zucchini) for 5-6 minutes until tender. Now add the zucchini and broccoli and saute for another 2 minutes. Transfer everything to a separate bowl.
• Wipe out the pan and pour the prepared sauce into the pan. Heat the sauce on a medium heat until it thickens up to your desired consistency. It should turn out thick and sticky.
• Turn off the flame, toss the cooked chicken and veggies into the pan, and mix well with the sauce. Garnish with spring onions & sesame seeds.
• Serve with quinoa, noodles or steamed white rice.

Notes

• You can substitute chicken with beef, pork, or salmon.
• Vegetables used in recipe can be varied with many other options like snow peas, baby corn, and mushrooms.
• Vegetables like zucchini and broccoli which requires less cooking time should be added to the pan later to prevent from over cooking.

The post Teriyaki Chicken and Veggies appeared first on Pepper Delight.

*** Recipe updated on 9/5/2021 with new pictures ***

It’s Pretty outside! Beautiful Fall colors everywhere… Red, Orange, and Yellow; Leaves on the roads, gardens, and some still hanging onto their trees… on their last lap of their journey. It has also started to get cold with the temperature dipping in the evenings. This is my favorite time of the year; relieved that I am through with the peak summers and still weeks away from the harsh winters. The winds and the sudden chills are a bit of a surprise as I’m still in the summer hangover, so something warm and cozy is what I need now. And I can’t ask for anything better than a bowl of hot soup to prep me for this weather. Nothing fancy, just a bowl of classic tomato soup, enough to fill your cravings and warm up you spirits! It’s Rich, Creamy and Tangy, and the freshness of the basil gives it a wonderful balance of flavor!!

Talking about the soups I grew up having, tomato soup was one of the most common versions available everywhere, and then the famous “spicy hot and sour soup” served along with Chinese dishes at restaurants. None of them were creamy, infact I do not remember eating any creamy ones until I moved to the US.  Once I started travelling and exploring, I got to know the many different creamy soups ranging from veg to non-veg versions. The taste initially was quite different for my palate, but over the time I started loving it.

This soup is a no brainer recipe and the key to its preparation is the tomatoes. The riper the tomatoes, the better the soup. Make sure you roast them to perfection, until they are soft and slightly charred, this adds up to the flavour. Ensure not to burn them. You can also use canned – fire roasted tomatoes if you cannot find fresh ripe ones. Puree the tomatoes, saute with garlic, add stock, and simmer. Top with herbs n cream, and your soup is ready!

Enjoy this bowl of delicious hot soup with croutons or grilled cheese sandwiches. Serve them as appetizers for your party or as lunch or dinner.

Interested in other soup recipes? Check these out:

1. Roasted Butternut Squash Soup 
2. Chicken Cilantro Detox Soup
3. Creamy Mushroom Soup
4. Chicken Ramen Noodle Soup

Happy Cooking!!!

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog and rate to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare.

Print

Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup

Cozy, Hearty n Satisfying… a Creamy Roasted Tomato Basil Soup…! Perfect to Welcome Fall & the chilly days ahead…

Course Appetizer, Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword roasted tomato, soup, tomato soup

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 6-7 large ripe tomatoes
• 1 onion (roughly chopped)
• 6 garlic cloves (minced)
• 4 cups (32oz. ) low sodium vegetable stock
• 4 tbsp milk cream
• Olive oil (as required)
• 1 tsp oregano
• Salt and Pepper (as required)
• Fresh basil (garnish)
• Croutons (toppings)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425 degree F.
• Cut the tomatoes into half and spread tomatoes and onion onto a baking pan. Drizzle olive oil generously and season with salt and pepper.
• Place the pan in the oven and bake for 30- 35 minutes until the tomato slices turn soft and charred on the surface. Remove from the oven and allow it cool for 10 minutes.
• Once cooled, puree it in a high speed blender or an immersion blender. Keep aside.
• Into a large pot, pour a little olive oil and heat on a medium flame. Add minced garlic and saute until it turns fragrant.
• Add the pureed tomatoes, vegetable broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.
• Reduce the heat to low, add oregano and simmer for 15-20 minutes uncovered.
• Turn off the flame, add fresh cream and top with fresh basil leaves.
• Your soup is ready, serve hot with a drizzle of olive oil, garnish with more basil and croutons. You can also serve grilled cheese as a side.

The post Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup appeared first on Pepper Delight.