Emily Carter
Olive Garden's Smoked Mozzarella Chicken is a delicious dish that combines bite-sized chicken pieces cooked in olive oil with julienned red peppers, penne pasta, and a white sauce made with butter, flour, milk, and bay leaf. The unique twist comes from the addition of hickory smoke flavouring and shredded mozzarella, giving it a subtle smoky flavour. This dish is often served with a salad on the side, providing a well-rounded and satisfying meal. While the exact recipe may vary, the key ingredient of smoked mozzarella adds a distinctive touch, making it a popular choice for diners seeking a blend of familiar flavours with a hint of something special.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Dish Name | Smoked Mozzarella Chicken |
| Type of Dish | Main Course |
| Ingredients | Chicken, Penne Pasta, Olive Oil, Red Peppers, Butter, Flour, Milk, Bay Leaf, White Wine, Hickory Smoke Flavoring, Shredded Mozzarella, Salad |
| Recipe | Cook chicken pieces in olive oil, add red peppers, cook penne pasta, make a white sauce with butter, flour, milk, bay leaf, add white wine and hickory smoke, mix sauce with chicken and pasta, sprinkle with shredded mozzarella, serve with a salad |
| Variants | Use of chicken stock, Asiago cheese, liquid smoke, ziti pasta, panko crumbs, grilled bread |
| Availability | Part of the "Buy One, Take One" promotion |
| Similar Dishes | Smoked Mozzarella Fonduta (an appetizer with baked, gooey cheese and toasty bread) |
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$4.97
What You'll Learn
Smoked mozzarella fonduta
Olive Garden's Smoked Mozzarella Fonduta is an appetizer featuring a blend of four cheeses: provolone, parmesan, romano, and smoked mozzarella. It is baked until golden brown and bubbly, and served in the restaurant's signature white dish alongside crunchy crostini for dipping. The dish is no longer on the menu, but was a simple yet delicious blend of baked, gooey cheese with a subtle smoky flavour.
To recreate this dish at home, preheat your oven to 450 Fahrenheit. In a large bowl, combine sour cream, mozzarella cheese, provolone cheese, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Transfer the mixture to a casserole dish or pie plate that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. For an extra brown topping, broil for an additional 2-3 minutes, but be careful not to let it burn.
To serve, slice a loaf of Italian bread into half-inch slices and toast in the oven for about five minutes. You can also grill the bread if you prefer. Garnish the dip with diced tomatoes and parsley, and serve immediately with the toasted bread. The smokiness of the dip comes from the smoked provolone cheese, so be sure to use this if you want to replicate the Olive Garden version. If you can't find smoked provolone, you could use regular mozzarella and add a smoked mozzarella cheese instead.
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Chicken, red peppers, penne pasta
Olive Garden's Smoked Mozzarella Chicken features bite-sized chicken pieces cooked in olive oil, julienned red peppers, penne pasta, and a white sauce made with butter, flour, milk, and bay leaf. The dish is then sprinkled with shredded mozzarella and served with a salad.
To prepare the chicken, cook bite-sized pieces in a skillet with olive oil. Add the julienned red peppers to the skillet. Meanwhile, cook the penne pasta according to the package instructions.
For the white sauce, combine butter, flour, milk, and a bay leaf in a separate saucepan. Add a small dash of white wine and hickory smoke flavoring to the sauce. Mix the cooked chicken, red peppers, and pasta with the white sauce.
Finally, sprinkle shredded mozzarella over the dish and serve with a salad.
Some people also add liquid smoke or hickory smoke seasoning to the sauce to enhance the smoky flavor, especially if they are using regular mozzarella instead of smoked mozzarella. This dish can be enjoyed as a restaurant-quality meal at home, inspired by Olive Garden's Smoked Mozzarella Chicken.
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White sauce with hickory smoke
The Olive Garden's Smoked Mozzarella Chicken and Penne Pasta is a popular dish that can be recreated at home. The recipe involves cooking bite-sized pieces of chicken in olive oil with red peppers and mixing them with cooked penne pasta. The key to achieving the smokey flavour is in the white sauce, which can be made with butter, flour, milk, and a bay leaf. To impart a subtle smokiness, a small dash of white wine and hickory smoke flavouring is added to the sauce. This can be adjusted to your taste preferences.
There are various ways to incorporate hickory smoke into a white sauce. One method is to use liquid smoke, which can be added in small quantities to the sauce. This liquid smoke is a concentrated form of the hickory smoke flavouring, so a little goes a long way. Alternatively, you can use smoked mozzarella cheese, which is available at specialty cheese shops or stores like Whole Foods. If you can't find smoked mozzarella, regular mozzarella with hickory smoke flavouring can be a good substitute.
When making the white sauce, you can start by creating a roux with butter and flour, then gradually add milk while stirring continuously to create a smooth and creamy consistency. Once the sauce has thickened, you can add the hickory smoke flavouring and white wine. The sauce is then mixed with the cooked chicken, peppers, and pasta. Finally, the dish is topped with shredded mozzarella cheese and served with a salad, creating a restaurant-quality meal at home.
Some people also add a light crust to the chicken by using panko crumbs, replicating the texture of the chicken at Olive Garden. Additionally, you can experiment with different types of pasta shapes, such as penne or ziti, to find your preferred option.
The hickory smoke flavouring adds a unique dimension to the dish, enhancing the overall taste experience. It's a versatile ingredient that can be used in sauces, marinades, and even with other types of cheese to create a similar flavour profile.
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Shredded mozzarella
While Olive Garden's Smoked Mozzarella Chicken recipe is not publicly available, several people have attempted to recreate it at home. The dish is believed to include shredded mozzarella, as well as chicken, penne pasta, red peppers, and a white sauce made with butter, flour, milk, bay leaf, white wine, and hickory smoke flavouring.
Some people have suggested using shredded mozzarella in the white sauce to achieve a similar taste to the Olive Garden dish. Others have mentioned that they use shredded mozzarella as a topping or sprinkle it over the dish before serving.
To achieve the right consistency for the fonduta, it is important to shred the mozzarella finely so that it melts properly. Some people also add a small amount of shredded parmesan cheese to enhance the flavour. The dish is baked in the oven until melted and bubbly, and the top can be browned under the broiler for a short time to add colour and texture.
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Salad on the side
The Smoked Mozzarella Chicken at Olive Garden is a hearty and flavourful dish, and it is often served with a salad on the side. While the exact recipe for the smoked mozzarella chicken may vary, a common preparation method involves cooking bite-sized pieces of chicken in olive oil and adding julienned red peppers. Penne pasta is cooked separately, and a white sauce is made with butter, flour, milk, and bay leaf. This sauce is then seasoned with a dash of white wine and hickory smoke flavouring. The chicken, peppers, pasta, and sauce are mixed together, and the dish is topped with shredded mozzarella.
The salad that accompanies this dish can vary depending on personal preference and seasonal availability. A simple option is to serve a mixed green salad with a variety of fresh vegetables, such as tomatoes, asparagus, and broccoli florets. This salad can be seasoned with garlic pepper and Italian seasoning to add a flavourful twist. Another option is to serve a classic Caesar salad, which typically includes romaine lettuce, croutons, Parmesan cheese, and a creamy dressing.
For a more substantial salad, one could include proteins such as grilled chicken or shrimp. A grilled chicken breast topped with a sweet apricot sauce can be a delicious addition to the salad, providing a contrast of flavours and textures. Alternatively, shrimp scampi can be a tasty protein option, adding a tangy twist to the salad.
It is important to note that the salad should complement, not overwhelm, the main dish. The smoked mozzarella chicken is a rich and flavourful entree, so the salad should provide a refreshing and light contrast. This can be achieved by using crisp vegetables, a tangy dressing, and perhaps a sprinkling of herbs or nuts for added texture and flavour.
In conclusion, while the smoked mozzarella chicken takes centre stage, the salad on the side plays a crucial role in balancing the meal and providing a refreshing counterpoint to the hearty entree. By choosing a variety of fresh ingredients and experimenting with different dressings and toppings, one can create a delicious and complementary salad to accompany the smoked mozzarella chicken at Olive Garden.
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Frequently asked questions
Olive Garden's Smoked Mozzarella Chicken consists of bite-sized chicken pieces cooked in olive oil, red peppers, penne pasta, and a white sauce made with butter, flour, milk, bay leaf, white wine, and hickory smoke flavoring. The dish is then sprinkled with shredded mozzarella and served with a salad.
Smoked mozzarella cheese is used in this dish, however, some people substitute it with regular mozzarella and add hickory smoke seasoning to the white sauce instead.
Yes, the Smoked Mozzarella Chicken was part of the "Buy One, Take One" promotion at Olive Garden.
Olive Garden's Smoked Mozzarella Fonduta is an appetizer that features a blend of four cheeses: provolone, parmesan, romano, and smoked mozzarella. It is baked and served with crostini, bread, or crackers.
Smoked mozzarella cheese can be purchased at specialty grocery stores like Whole Foods, Walmart, Hy-Vee, or online through Amazon.
