How do you cook food in an RV?

I cook just like I did when we lived in a house made of sticks and bricks. Sure, some recipes need to be tweaked based on the available equipment. But all in all, it’s the same. There is one exception for me: pasta. Of course, I could cook it exactly as I did in our house, using one pot to boil the noodles and a separate pan to make a sauce, but I almost always choose to cook pasta in one pot in my motorhome’s kitchen.

Why cook one-pot pasta?

• Fewer dishes (this is an ongoing theme for my recipes/cooking)
• Reduced steam in our living space -- while this isn’t a problem when camping in Arizona in January, it’s unwelcome when camping in Florida in July.
• It’s a perfect way of cooking when boondocking or dry-camping since you can use less water and avoid draining pasta water into your grey tank.
• Cooking in one pot is the perfect RV cooking hack! But it’s more than that! It’s so good that I’m convinced that even people living in a traditional home will want to cook like this, too.

The Recipe:

Equipment Needed: large pot with lid, knife for cutting, wooden spoon, cutting board

Serves: 2-4

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil (can be omitted if you’re using a non-stick pan)

1# boneless/skinless Chicken Breasts, pat dry, cut in ½-inch pieces, seasoned with salt and pepper

½ cup dry White Wine (you may substitute with chicken stock or apple juice*)

8 ounces Dried Pasta (I prefer penne or bowties)

2 bunches Baby Broccoli (Broccolini), roughly chopped in 1-inch pieces or florets from 1 bunch Broccoli

5 cloves Garlic, pressed or minced

¾ - 1 cup Chicken Stock

1 Lemon, zested

1-3 teaspoons Crushed Red Pepper (optional)

Parmesan Cheese (optional for serving)

Kosher Salt & Pepper

Instructions:

1.Place a large pot on medium-high heat, and add olive oil to the pan (if using)

2.When the pan (and oil) is hot, add the seasoned chicken breast and sauté until cooked through (about 10 minutes)

3.Remove the chicken and any of the remaining cooking liquid from the pan and reserve it in a bowl or dish

4.Add the uncooked pasta to the pot (no need to clean it out), add enough water just to cover the pasta (about 3 cups) and add one teaspoon of Kosher salt

5.Cover the pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook according to package instructions for al dente minus two minutes

6.Add broccolini to the pot, cover and finish cooking for two minutes

7.Return chicken to the pot

8.With the burner on medium-high, add garlic to the pot

9.Add chicken stock, lemon zest, and crushed red peppers, and stir mix completely

10.Serve with parmesan cheese, if desired

*If you substitute chicken broth or apple juice for the wine, you may want to add some lemon juice before serving.

*** Pro Tip***

Have you ever heard of saving some pasta water to add back into your cooked/drained pasta? It helps prevent the pasta from sticking together. Also, the starch left in the water from the pasta helps thicken the sauce without adding any other thickening agents while also aiding the sauce itself to bind to the noodles.

Adapting this recipe for a multi-cooker or Instant Pot:

Heat multi-cooker on high saute until hot. Add olive oil and continue with steps 2-4 on High Saute. Continue with step 5.  Seal the pot and cook on Manual High Pressure for 4 minutes. Quick-release and add broccolini. Seal and cook for 10 minutes. Quick-release. Switch to high saute and continue with step 8.

Suggested Wine Pairing for Lemon Chicken Broccoli Pasta:

I recommend drinking the same wine or at least the same type of wine you used in cooking the dish.  You’re guaranteed a good pairing that way! And let’s face it, you’ll need to do something with the rest of that bottle, right? ????

When I make this dish, I generally use French or California Sauvignon Blanc or a good Pinot Grigio from Italy. I want something relatively high in acid and without a lot of oak. You might also use Chardonnay, but I would steer clear of oaky Chardonnay. And I would stay away from sweet wines like Moscato. If you’re a die-hard red wine drinker, stick with something light in flavor and body like a Pinot Noir.