Jerk Chicken Pasta

I came across this recipe on a blog that I read and was surprised at how easy it was to make.

The hardest part was trying to figure out how to make a substitute for the half and half. I’ll get into that in a few!

Here is the ingredients to gather and my adjustments:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 Tbs butter
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup half-and-half - substitution made with 1% milk and butter (see below)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon herbs, of your choice, rosemary, marjoram, oregano
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup stalk asparagus – cut into 1 inch pieces
8 ounces sliced mushrooms, pieces and stems
3 tablespoons parsley, crushed
salt and pepper, to taste
8 ounces bow tie pasta

I think the only thing missing from this picture is the chicken, which was already cooking by the time I remembered to take a picture. Oh and oregano because the recipe says to use an herb!

Get your pasta boiling, your gonna need this in a little while.

You start by cooking your garlic then adding the cayenne pepper and chicken. The recipe instructs you to cook it in 1/2 cup butter but I am always readjusting my recipes to be as healthy as possible so I added 1 Tbs butter and Pam cooking spray. It turned out just fine to me.

**Warning ~ This will set you on fire! I am not afraid to use cayenne pepper but when I saw that the original version of this recipe called for 1 Tbs, I cried!

Yes, I’m a wimp and I am not ashamed to admit it! I only used 1 tsp.

After you get your chicken cooking, you will need to create your sauce. This is where the milk and butter come into play in the ingredients. I looked online to find a substitute for half and half. You can use 1 cup of whole milk and 4 Tbs of butter. Well, I used 1 cup 1% milk and 3 Tbs butter, melted. I mixed those two together and carried on with the recipe just as I would have.

You will add the half and half substitute, chicken broth and corn starch to the same skillet you cooked the chicken in. Let this come to a boil and get a good consistency. After about 3-4 minutes add the herbs, parsley, mushrooms and the asparagus (which you boiled in another pot. You did. I saw you!) Once this boils for another 3-5 minutes add your chicken and let it simmer for about 5-10 minutes.

After your pasta is done and the mixture has simmered, combine all ingredients in a large pot to stir it all together. Pour in a serving dish to serve or just serve it right out of the big pot!

To get the original version of this recipe and print one out for yourself, click here.

Enjoy!