May 2026 - Smoked Chicken Fusilli

Ingredients

• Fusilli Pasta  ·  1 pound 
• Prepared Smoked Chicken, pulled  ·  2 cups 
• Heavy Cream  ·  1 cup 
• Parmesan Cheese, grated  ·  1/2 cup 
• Williamson Wines Extra Virgin Olive Oil  ·  2 tablespoons 
• Butter  ·  2 tablespoons 
• Garlic, minced  ·  4 cloves 
• Herbie's Za'atar Seasoning  ·  2 tablespoons 
• Herbie's Freeze-Dried chives or fresh chives  ·  1 tablespoon 
• Fresh Basil Leaves, finely chopped  ·  1/4 cup 
• Salt & Pepper, to taste  ·   

Instructions

Start by cooking the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the fusilli until al dente. Drain, reserving about ½ cup of the pasta water, and set aside.

In a large skillet or sauté pan, melt the butter with the olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to let it brown.

Pour the heavy cream into the skillet and bring to a gentle simmer. Whisk in the Parmesan cheese until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened.

Stir in the Herbie’s Za’atar seasoning and Herbie's freeze-dried chives. These will infuse the cream.

Fold in the pulled smoked chicken and the chopped basil. Stir gently to ensure the chicken is evenly distributed and the basil is integrated into the sauce.

Add the cooked fusilli to the skillet. Toss thoroughly to coat each spiral in the cream sauce. If the sauce is too thick for room-temperature service, add a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen it.

Taste and add salt or pepper if needed.

Transfer to a serving bowl or individual plates. Top each serving with a single, fresh basil leaf and enjoy!