Blackened Chicken Alfredo

A creamy flavorful sauce with peppery grilled chicken!

Rinse and pat (1)dry the chicken breasts.

In a plastic bag mix the olive oil, salt, and freshly ground pepper.

Add the chicken and coat it completely in the mixture. Set aside at least 10 minutes at room temperature or up to (2)eight hours in the refrigerator.

Heat a large skillet (see grill instructions below) over medium-high heat. Add 1 T olive oil. Add the chicken and cook for a minute or two unitl it starts to brown. Turn the chicken and cook a minute or two until it starts to brown. Turn the heat to low-medium and flip the chicken. Place a lid on the pan and cook 3-4 minutes. Turn the chicken (3)one last time and cook until cooked through 3-4 minutes.

Heat grill to medium high. Place chicken on and grill each side 5-7 minutes turning (3)once.

Set aside to let it (4)rest before slicing.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Add 1 T salt and the pasta.

Stir to get it all in the pot and to help it not stick together. Cook according to package directions stirring occasionally. Drain and set back in hot pot.

While the pasta is cooking heat butter, cream, and chicken broth over medium heat. Bring to a gentle simmer stirring constantly.

Simmer to reduce for ten minutes stirring constantly.

Add the parmesan and salt. Stir until parmesan is melted.

Pour over the cooked pasta. Stir well and let sit 3-5 minutes. It will seem thin, but it will thicken as it cools.

Slice the chicken against the grain into thin strips. Stir pasta again then add chicken.

Serve hot.

Problems

Boiled cream - Do not let the cream boil, it tastes terrible. It should gently simmer (small bubbles come up), but should not be at a rapid boil.

Thin cream - As important as it is not to boil the cream, it's just as important to simmer the cream enough to reduce it. If it is not reduced it will be too thin.

Thick sauce - Even if the cream is gently simmered, it can reduce too much. Ten minutes is a good amount of time for it to simmer. Longer than that can thicken the sauce too much. Less than that won't thicken it enough.

Blackened Chicken Alfredo

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 T olive oil
1 T fresh ground black pepper
1/2 t kosher salt

1 lb linguini
1 T salt

3 T unsalted butter
1 c heavy cream
1 c low sodium chicken broth
1 c fresh parmesan shredded
1/2 t kosher salt

Chicken
Rinse and pat (1)dry the chicken breasts. In a plastic bag mix the olive oil, salt, and freshly ground pepper. Add the chicken and coat it completely in the mixture. Set aside at least 10 minutes at room temperature or up to (2)eight hours in the refrigerator.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 T olive oil. Add the chicken and cook for a minute or two unitl it starts to brown. Turn the chicken and cook a minute or two until it starts to brown. Turn the heat to low-medium and flip the chicken. Place a lid on the pan and cook 3-4 minutes. Turn the chicken (3)one last time and cook until cooked through 3-4 minutes. Set aside to let it (4)rest before slicing.

Pasta
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 T salt and the pasta. Stir to get it all in the pot and to help it not stick together. Cook according to package directions stirring occasionally. Drain and set back in hot pot.

Sauce
While the pasta is cooking heat butter, cream, and chicken broth over medium heat. Bring to a gentle simmer stirring constantly. Simmer to reduce for ten minutes stirring constantly. Add the parmesan and salt. Stir until parmesan is melted. Pour over the cooked pasta. Stir well and let sit 3-5 minutes. Slice the chicken against the grain into thin strips. Stir pasta again then add chicken. Serve hot.

Notes
1. It is important to dry the chicken so the olive oil can penetrate it, making it much more tender and juicy.
2. It's best not to marinate meat too long or it starts to break the meat down turning it mushy.
3. It's best not to handle meat too much while cooking it because it toughens it and squeezes juices out. The rule of the grill is one turn, but on the stovetop it needs more. It first needs to sear on both sides. Then it's best to flip it and turn the heat down so that side doesn't burn, then finish the cooking on the other side.
4. After cooking, baking, or grilling meat it is important to let it rest. The temperature continues to rise, so the meat continues to cook. It also distributes the juices evenly, so fewer are lost during slicing.