Schwartz-tastic (Schwartz Chargrilled Chicken Pasta)

Name: CoupeQueen

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Product:	Schwartz Chargrilled Chicken Pasta
Date:	05/08/08 (133 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Simple, easy to prepare, tasty

Disadvantages: Not enough for a famly of four

Schwartz History

The Schwartz brand was established in 1841 by William Schwartz, the son of a German immigrant, in Halifax, Canada.
William E. Schwartz, the son of the founder, was the first person in Canada to sell pure spices. Formerly only compound spices were sold such as ginger mixed with cornmeal or flour.


Chargrilled Chicken Pasta
Now I'd had this in the cupboard for a good few months and it wasn't until I'd had enough of the same old meals that I came across it. I was searching through all the jars and sachets looking for inspiration and wondered how on earth it managed to stay hidden for so long. So, I decided to give it a go.


What it is

A garlic and herb sauce mix with a grill flavour to be used with chicken and pasta to make a family meal.


The packet

The product comes in a sachet and is quite attractive with the 'Schwartz' logo printed across the top and 'Chargrilled Chicken Pasta' printed underneath. Below that is a picture of the meal, which looks very appetizing.


Ingredients

Thickener (Maize Starch), Sugar, Flavourings (contains Barley), Lo Salt (Potassium Chloride, Sodium Chloride), Wheat Flour, Onion Powder, Skimmed Milk Powder, Dried Garlic (5%), Cream Powder, Cheese Powder (contains Egg), Black Pepper, Basil, Smoked Paprika, Anti-caking Agent (Silicon Dioxide), Whey Powder, Vegetable Oil, Colour (Carmine), Cayenne Pepper.

Allergy warning - Contains Wheat, Barley, Egg, Milk

It states that this meal is not suitable of vegetarians.


Ingredients needed

350g (12oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced
1 onion, chopped
1 red pepper, sliced
1 packet of Schwartz Chargrilled Chicken Pasta Recipe Mix
1 tbs oil
400g tin chopped tomatoes
50ml (2 fl oz) milk
275g (10oz) pasta, cooked and drained

Directions

1. Place the chicken and the vegetables in a large bowl. Stir in the packet contents.

2. Heat the oil and fry the chicken and vegetable for 5-6 minutes in a frying pan until browned, stirring occasionally.

3. Add the tomatoes and milk and bring to the boil, stirring. Simmer for 2-3 minutes.

4. Stir in the cooked pasta.

5. Serve with salad and garlic bread.


It gives you a 'HINT & TIP' at the bottom of the packet which states:

For Ham & Mushroom Pasta Bake mix the pepper and onion with sliced mushrooms and the packet contents. Fry in oil for 2-3 minutes. Add tomatoes and milk and bring to the boil. Stir in sliced ham and cooked pasta. Transfer to a heatproof dish, top with grated Cheddar cheese and grill until golden.


I have only tried the Chicken recipe but the ham and mushroom pasta bake does sound scrumptious - definitely on my 'to-do' list.


Verdict

When preparing the chicken and vegetables it smelt a little spicy, now I'm not keen on spicy food so I was a bit wary at this point. But, I carried on. As I continued to cook the chicken and veg, the smell became more pleasant. After adding the tomatoes (I used chopped tomatoes with garlic) and the milk it turned a pinky red colour and it looked delicious.

The big taste test.
Now, on the packet it states that it includes 4 servings - let's just say, my other half and I must have very big appetites because we managed to polish off the whole lot between us. It tasted divine, the herbs gave it a very tasty flavour but not overpowering. A lot of 'mmmmm's' and 'aaaahh's' were heard from our dining table, and the odd 'this is lovely'!

I think that this dish would be great if you substituted the pasta with some boiled, mashed or jacket potatoes and maybe some green beans. Another recipe on my 'to-do' list.

All in all, I found this dish totally delicious and would highly recommend it to one and all. Schwartz do many great sauce mixes and I am always looking for something different to make. On my next trip to Asda, I will probably spend a lot of my time (to my boyfriend's annoyance) looking through the other many Schwartz sachets.

Summary: A delicious meal for one and all.