I love this stuff! Get ready for food coma.
- Carbohydrate 64.0044813421004 g
- Cholesterol 187.081220442648 mg
- Fat 49.3478491470512 g
- Fiber 10.0867552236534 g
- Protein 46.7735302303766 g
- Saturated Fat 25.5329166193544 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (577g)
- Sodium 1542.40550298322 mg
- Sugar 53.917726118447 g
- Trans Fat 4.62377951761484 g
- Calories 870 calories
Step-by-step
- Chicken breasts can be cooked whole, or cubed. Lightly coat the chicken in lemon pepper, and brown in the butter over medium-high heat in a large, high-walled pan or electric skillet (my preference).
- While the chicken browns, combine the soup, sour cream and cheese in a large mixing bowl. Mix well, set aside. Drain the artichoke hearts.
- Once the chicken is browned to your liking, drain any excess butter and add the soup/sour cream/cheese mixture. Coat the chicken with the sauce and allow to simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- About 10 minutes into simmering, you should fill a large pot with water, add a pinch of salt and a small amount of olive oil (optional), and set it to boiling.
- After about 20 minutes of simmering, your water should be boiling. Add the pasta. Also stir in your artichoke hearts to the sauce for the remaining ten minutes cooking time.
- Once the pasta is finished, it can be mixed in to the sauce mixture (the preferred method if cubing the chicken).
- Serve with asparagus or other green vegetable. Or none ... it's plenty to eat by itself!
Managing Dairy Under Heat
Combining sour cream, parmesan cheese, and canned soup creates a heavy fat emulsion that requires careful thermal control. Sour cream curdles easily when exposed to direct, unbuffered heat above 175 degrees Fahrenheit. Simmering the sauce mixture over medium-low heat prevents the milk solids from separating and keeps the emulsion smooth. Parmesan cheese contributes free glutamate and sodium, which dissolve into the dairy base to amplify savory perception. Adding the marinated artichoke hearts during the final ten minutes of simmering prevents their acid from breaking the surrounding dairy matrix too early.Browning and Flavor Development
Coating the chicken breasts in lemon pepper before searing initiates the Maillard reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars on the meat surface. Searing over medium-high heat in melted butter dehydrates the outer layer of the protein, producing savory crust compounds while infusing the fat with citrus aromatics. Draining excess butter before introducing the dairy base prevents oil pooling on the surface of the sauce. Cubing the chicken prior to searing increases the total surface area exposed to the pan, yielding more browned exterior per bite than cooking the breasts whole.Storage and Reheating Mechanics
Leftovers containing high-fat dairy sauces separate during freezing due to ice crystal formation disrupting the emulsion. Refrigerating the pasta and sauce combined in an airtight container works safely for up to three days. Reheating requires gentle, indirect heat on a stovetop with a splash of water or milk to reconstitute the thickened starch network without scorching the dairy solids.
