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San Diego Living - Food

Noodles & Company

Noodles & Company

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Story Published: Aug 5, 2009 at 10:52 AM PDT

Story Updated: Nov 28, 2011 at 9:42 AM PDT

Encinitas - El Camino
260 North El Camino Real
Encinitas, CA 92024
(760) 634-3010

San Marcos
591 Grand Avenue at San Marcos
San Marcos, CA 92069
(760) 591-9854

Sports Arena
3650 Rosecrans Street
San Diego, CA 92110
(619) 223-3200

University Town Center
4545 La Jolla Village Drive
San Diego, CA 92122-1212
(760) 591-9854

Colorado-based Noodles & Company was founded in 1995, and is the world’s first quick-casual, globally inspired noodle restaurant. From healthy to indulgent and spicy to comforting, Noodles & Company serves a balanced selection of Asian, Mediterranean and American inspired noodle dishes, soups and salads.

Its craveable menu is made only with fresh and wholesome ingredients. Every bowl is prepared to order in about five minutes with only the best noodles and pasta, fresh vegetables, authentic herbs and spices, artisan sauces and grilled chicken, beef, shrimp or organic tofu.

Noodles & Company believes you can eat well without compromising on taste or a nourishing meal. In fact, two thirds of its dishes are less than 500 calories. The company’s educational Good Balance program was created to help guests make customizable food choices to meet their own balanced diet and needs. In recognition of its commitment to health and nutrition, Health magazine named Noodles & Company one of America’s Healthiest Fast-Food restaurants in 2008 and 2009.

Noodles & Company is a tip-free zone and is open seven days a week in more than 205 locations in 18 states.

Ingredients:
Pasta and sauce
1 lb penne cooked al dente
¼ cup of your favorite marinara sauce
Spring onions sliced
2 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
Crushed chili flakes to taste
1 Portobello mushroom cap (gills removed)
¼ cup cream
1 T vegetable oil
Extra virgin olive oil
2 T Wine (your choice)
1 Heirloom tomato
Kosher salt to taste
¼ cup fresh organic baby spinach leaves
1 bunch fresh Sweet Italian basil leaves (snipped with scissors)
Shaved Asiago cheese

Parmesan crusted chicken
4 chicken breasts
1 T vegetable oil
1 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
2 cups flour
1 T Italian seasoning
½ cup cream
Kosher salt & black pepper to taste
1 lemon (zested)
½ cup pine nuts

Preparation:
• Cook pasta to al dente then chill in ice cold water. Drain, toss with olive oil and set aside.

• Chop garlic, slice the onions and mushrooms, de-stem basil and set aside.

• Wash the chicken breasts and set aside

• Measure ingredients and set up breading station, keep flour, breading & cream separate

• Coarsely chop ¼ cup of the raw pine nuts

• Slice the heirloom tomato into bite size pieces and toss with Extra virgin olive oil, salt & pepper

• Toast ¼ cup of pine nuts in the oven until golden brown, set aside

For the Parmesan chicken:
Mix 1 cup of the flour with the bread crumbs, lemon zest, chopped pine nuts, parmesan cheese, and seasonings, for the breading. Place the breading into 9 by 12 baking dish. Dredge the chicken breast into the rest of the plain flour, then dip it into the cream, then finally into the parmesan breading. Set aside. Heat a 16 inch cast iron skillet with 1 T vegetable oil, then place the breaded chicken into the pan. Cook on medium heat for 1-2 minutes or until golden and flip over to cook other side. Place entire skillet in preheated oven (350 degrees) until chicken is done. Remove from oven and pan, and let rest before you slice.

For the pasta dish:
Heat a large sauté pan. Add the vegetable oil, garlic, mushrooms and spring onions. Stir well.  Add tomato sauce when the mushrooms, garlic and onions are sizzling and lightly caramelized. Deglaze the pan with the wine. Add salt and crushed chili flakes to taste. Add cream, then the pasta and toss to coat. Toss in the spinach and place onto a platter. 

Place sliced parmesan chicken on top and around the pasta. Garnish the entire dish with shaved Asiago cheese, toasted pine nuts, sliced tomatoes and fresh cut basil.

Serves 4-6
Enjoy!

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