Browned Butter and Mizithra Cheese Pasta with Chicken, Spinach and Herbs

It's so hard to find recipes with Mizithra cheese other than the typical browned butter, so here is a new twist on an old favorite! Great for summer evenings! I like to use a George Foreman® grill to cook the chicken.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 26 mins
• Total Time: 41 mins
• Calories: 701 Calories

Ingredients

• ¼ cup butter
• ¼ cup pine nuts
• 1 cup chopped fresh spinach
• ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
• 1 (16 ounce) package linguine pasta
• 3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• cooking spray
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed
• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt, or to taste
• ½ cup grated Mizithra cheese

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook linguine at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes; drain.

Step 2

Spray a grill pan lightly with cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Sprinkle seasoned salt on both sides of chicken and cook until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 5 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Let cool slightly.

Step 3

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; bring to a low simmer and cook until butter has a caramel fragrance and is almost done foaming, 5 to 10 minutes.

Step 4

Combine linguine, chicken, spinach, basil, and thyme in a large bowl. Pour browned butter on top. Toss well to combine. Add Mizithra cheese and pine nuts; toss again. Garnish with freshly ground black pepper.