Chicken, Asparagus & Artichokes w/ Lemon Chive Cream Sauce

Artichokes are just so divine, so versatile, so nutritious and so uniquely BEAUTIFUL - especially the layers of color!  My favorite part is when you unveil the gorgeous burst of purple and lime tones within at the core, near the heart... the very BEST part!

My 7 year old daughter can devour an entire artichoke in a mere ten minutes flat and it is advised not to step away as one is being plucked as you will surely lose your leaves to her cute artichoke addiction. I am super happy she adores them as well as this easy and flavorful recipe that simply BURSTS with them, along with tender crisp asparagus and shredded chicken in an OHSOSIMPLE light and delicious sauce tinged with fresh lemon juice.

Ingredients
8 oz cooked, shredded chicken
1 dozen asparagus spears, cut into 1" pieces
24 oz bag of quartered frozen artichoke hearts

Sauce
Juice of half a lemon
2 Laughing Cow Swiss Wedges
1 Tbsp Smart Balance Omega 3 
2 Tbsp dried chives
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp each salt and black pepper
1/8 C skim milk or unsweetened almond milk

 

Place the frozen artichoke quarters and asparagus into a saute' pan. Cover barely with water. Allow to simmer until asparagus is tender crisp, about 10 minutes. During this time, prepare the sauce.

Using a whisk to blend thoroughly, melt together all sauce ingredients on medium heat EXCEPT for your milk of choice. Mixture will be pasty and thick, like a roux, but without the flour - which makes this a perfect gluten-free recipe! Now add milk of your choice and blend until smooth. Taste! Add more salt, pepper or lemon juice if desired. Set sauce aside and drain water from the vegetables, returning them to the saute' pan.

Add the cooked, shredded chicken to the mixture and the sauce, folding gently to coat.

The light infusion of lemon juice makes it such a delicious entree. I hope it becomes a favorite in your home as it is within ours!

{Serves 2,  Serving size: 2 Cups}
{Per serving : est. 28g protein, est. 12g carbs}