Lynda's Chicken Pasta-A Mission Minded Meal

In 2009, I married the man of my dreams.  The week after our honeymoon, we came home and started attending Missions team meetings at Billy and Lynda’s house every Sunday afternoon after church.  We prayed for our trip to Haiti and rehearsed the skits we would perform for evangelistic meetings.  

We gathered in their comfy family room right beside the kitchen.  Food was always a part of the equation – meatballs, fried chicken, chips and salsa, crackers and cheese.  Each week there was a pot luck surprise.  

 As we broke bread together, I learned the stories of each of my team members.  Fran and George had traveled to the island several times and were supporting a young man through school there.  Deste called Fran mom, and they communicated often through Facebook.  Helene, a doctor fluent in French, would be holding medical clinics for each of the communities we visited during our trip.  Jason was a pilot, and this would be his first trip to the island.  

The night before our departure, we met to pack our bags – each of us would be carrying two duffel bags.  One would be full of gifts for friends we were traveling to serve.   We packed small toys for the children at the orphanage and medical supplies for the community.    

That night, Lynda prepared a chicken pasta dish for us to share.  My husband asked for seconds, so I quickly asked her for the recipe.   I jotted down the ingredients.  The recipe was surprisingly simple. 

That week in Haiti changed my life.   I met beautiful people.  I saw the love of Christ on the faces of young children.  I realized how much abundance I have.  I learned that a hot shower and electricity are luxuries. 

Going on a missions trip with my husband during the formative months of our marriage was the right choice.  We forged relationships with amazing friends and grew closer to each other and our God as we served side by side.  Plus, I learned how to make a delicious chicken pasta. 

Lynda’s Chicken Pasta

Ingredients:
* 4 chicken breasts cooked and chopped into bite-sized pieces (left-over chicken or a store  
  bought rotisserie chicken works great, too)
* 1 bag of frozen peas
* 1 box of ziti type pasta
* 1 cup of shredded cheese (about ½ a bag -- try to find one that has a mix of several types of
   cheeses)
* 4 ounces of sour cream
* ½ cup of grated parmesan cheese
* Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Cook the pasta according to directions. 
2. Throw the frozen peas into the same pot of water as the pasta to cook together.
3. Drain the pasta and peas and place back in the pot.
4. Grab your pre-cooked chicken and throw it into the pot with the pasta. 
5.Add 1 cup of shredded cheese, 4 ounces of sour cream, and ½ cup of grated parmesan cheese. 
6. Mix all the ingredients together to create a lovely creamy sauce.
7. Taste to see if you need to add more cheese or sour cream.  Add salt and pepper to taste. 
8. Serve with a side salad and crusty bread. 

Enjoy! 

Lyli Dunbar loves teaching.  For 17 years, she mentored teenagers in the Christian school setting, and now she has serves as Associate Director of Curriculum at Trinity International University Florida. Lyli married her Prince Charming in her 40’s and has a heart for encouraging young couples and singles in God’s waiting room.  She enjoys road trips with her husband, connecting with women through Bible study, and reading way too many books. Lyli writes about life lessons and faith on herpersonal blog. You may also connect with her on Facebook,Twitter, and Pinterest.

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