Chicken and Artichoke Pasta

Recently, I've had quite a few people (at least four) ask me for some good recipes that use a crock-pot, or slow cooker. I am a huge fan of crock-pots. I can whip dinner together in the morning before work and have it ready to eat when I get home - let's not forget how great the house smells! It doesn't get much better. I follow a lot of food-related sources on Twitter and found a recipe for artichoke pasta. Again, I changed a lot about it, so I'll tell you what I did. This recipe uses a slow cooker, but not 100%; just for the sauce. Regardless, it has a unique flavor and is fun to try.


Chicken and Artichoke Pasta

Nonstick cooking spray
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
3 cloves garlic
1 T. basil
1 T. oregano
1/4 cup whipping cream
6 oz dried linguine, fettuccine, or other favorite pasta (I used whole wheat linguine)
Olives (optional)
Feta, Parmesan or Gruyere cheese, shredded or crumbled
4 chicken breasts, grilled as desired


Directions
1| Coat the inside of a 3-1/2 or 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Drain one of the cans of diced tomatoes (do not drain remaining can). In the prepared cooker, stir together drained and undrained tomatoes, the artichoke hearts, garlic, basil and oregano.
2| Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 6-8 hours or on high-heat setting for 3 to 4 hours. Stir in whipping cream; let stand for about 5 minutes to heat through.
3| Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Serve sauce over hot cooked pasta and chicken breasts. If desired, top with olives and cheese. 


Makes 4 servings.