Arts and Culture, Recipes

cramming + carbs ‒ the exam season survival pack

by Bianca Mehrotra

welcome back for round 3 of bianca eats…as usual! 

i’ve got a good one for you today! the most special recipe for the last edition of volume 60! while you face the looming threat of tariffs, go get some canadian groceries and get cooking (literally). also, i know exam season is upon us, so i am bringing you a fabulous, stress-free, one-pot recipe that takes about 30 mins and is absolutely delish! 

THE GREATEST ONE-POT CREAMY CHICKEN PASTA

perfect for this wildly unpredictable weather and equally fluctuating academic stress levels. this dish delivers creamy, savory goodness with minimal effort. let’s be honest, the last thing anyone wants to do right now is wash five different pots and pans, or in my case, put them in the dishwasher :/ (less effort, same laziness) 

ingredients

  • butter 
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 pack of mushrooms, sliced
  • 4-5 chicken breasts
  • green onions, chopped (garnish – i only used the green part)
  • heavy cream
  • chicken broth 
  • parmesan cheese 
  • garlic powder
  • italian seasoning
  • salt + pepper to taste

steps

  1. WASH YOUR CHICKEN (PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE)
  2. pat dry + season your chicken generously (salt + pepper)
  3. heat olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat
  4. pan-fry your seasoned chicken over medium-high heat for about 6-8 mins per side
  5. remove chicken from pan onto a drying rack (plate w/ paper towel works too, to soak up the oil and fat)
  6. sauté onions in the same pan over medium heat (no need to add extra oil or anything)
  7. add butter to the onions to caramelize them quickly
  8. once onions are fragrant, add garlic and then mushrooms
  9. season again generously (salt + pepper)
  10. allow mushrooms to cook until they have released water (the water will help deglaze the pan)
  11. add chicken broth and heavy cream
  12. season with italian seasoning 
  13. add half the green onions 
  14. once the sauce is created, pour some over the chicken while it rests (to stay moist) 
  15. pour in more chicken broth (should be enough to soak the linguine)
  16. allow linguine to cook 
  17. remove from heat and add the rest of the green onions and parmesan cheese 

if the pasta begins to stick to the bottom of the pan, add in more chicken broth

  1. add in a bit more heavy cream to build the sauce 
  2. serve and enjoy (top the pasta with your chicken)