Monday 4/19 "Creamy chicken"

This is a Rachael Ray recipe, but it is under a different name.

• 3 tblsps. butter (already purchased)
• 1/2 lb. spaghetti, broken ($1.00)
• 1 c. instant rice (already purchased)
• 3 c. chicken stock ($2.98)
• 1 c. frz green beans ($1.00)
• 1 lb. chicken thighs ($3.61)
• 1 lb. mushrooms ($1.88)
• 1 shallot (already purchased)
• 1 tblsp. flour (already purchased)
• 1/3 c. sour cream ($0.94)
• tarragon (already purchased)
• 1 tblsp. dijon mustard ($1.50)

Melt 1 tblsp butter in a saucepot. Toast up broken spaghetti and rice in the butter. Stir in 2 c. chicken stock and simmer under a lid. STeam green beans in bag and add to pasta at end of cooking time (about 15 minutes). Cook chicken in EVOO and season with salt and pepper. Move to a plate and cover to keep warm. Add remaining 2 tblsps of butter to same pan and cook mushrooms and shallot. Don't season with salt and pepper until cooked. Add flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in sour cream, remaining 1 c. of chicken stock, tarragon, and mustard. Add chicken back to pan. Serve over spaghetti/rice/green bean mixture.

The verdict: It was very good. I would have made more of the pasta mixture. The recipe calls for chicken breasts, but thighs were what I had so I trimmed them a little. My kids loved it. Total cost to make: $12.91.