Lemon Pepper Chicken Pasta with Italian Cream Sauce

Don’t you love it when creativity strikes you and it all comes together in a beautiful way? This recipe started out with this recipe, except we don’t really eat shrimp and didn’t have wine and then I found some lemon pepper in my cupboard, this creamy lemon pepper chicken pasta was born and the rest is history.

To me, that’s the fun of cooking. Tweaking and tasting and creating something that is uniquely “us”. I rarely make a recipe exactly as it is written and I often don’t make my recipes the same way twice. Thank goodness for this blog or I wouldn’t have a written-down recipe for my potato soup, chili, or many enchilada renditions. I guess I’m like my mom in that way. I remember after I got married I’d ask her for a recipe and she’d say “I’m not sure, I’ll have to think about it.”  I think that’s why I love cooking–some things about it are unchanging science, but some things about it are creative, flexible, and as unique as the person making it.

So I won’t be mad if you tweak this recipe. 😉

Lemon Pepper Chicken in Italian Creme Sauce

Ingredients: 

2 Chicken breasts

1/2 teaspoon Lemon pepper seasoning (additional for seasoning chicken)

2 Tablespoons olive oil

15 ounces tomatoes

1/2 onion

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon basil

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 Tablespoons butter

1/2 cup chicken stock

1/3 cup evaporated milk

1/2 box whole wheat spaghetti noodles

Optional 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes

Directions

Trim fat from  Chicken breasts and cut into 2 inch pieces. Season chicken with lemon pepper and a dash of salt and pepper.  Heat olive oil in large pan. Add chicken to oil and cook for 5 minutes stirring the pieces to ensure they are cooked on all sides. Remove from pan and set aside. Puree tomatoes in food processor to desired level of chunkiness. add 1/2 diced onion, tomatoes, garlic, basil, pepper, lemon pepper, butter, and chicken broth. (Add optional chile flakes at this time if desired.) Allow to cook over medium heat 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Fill with saucepan about half full of water, a teaspoon of olive oil and a dash of salt for the noodles. Once the water boils, add the noodles and cook to al dente. Stir the flour into the sauce to thicken.  Stir in 1/3 cup of evaporated milk and continue cooking over low heat. Add the chicken back to the sauce and simmer. Combine noodles with the sauce and chicken.  Serve warm with a caesar salad and breadsticks.

 

P.S. The embroidered linen in this photo was my grandma’s. It makes me feel good to have it in my kitchen.

Do you like to be creative in the kitchen or follow a recipe? What’s your favorite weeknight dinner?

Linking up to Tried it Tuesday, and Treat Yourself Tuesday.