Chicken with pasta and asparagus
Another family favorite - just got some gorgeous, thin, baby asparagus at the store....yummy yummy yummy!
Doesn't it look gorgeous?
Ingredients:
* 3-4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (or equivalent in breast "tenders") cut into bite-size strips
* 1 bunch asparagus - thin is best, but if you love asparagus like we do, it matters not - rinsed and cut into 1" pieces
* 1 bag tri-color rotini (corkscrew) pasta
* 1 lemon, cut into quarters, squeezed (save the juice!), and peel reserved
* olive oil - plain, or lemon-flavored is nice
* salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning to taste
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400* and start pot of water to boil for pasta, and start chopping up your chicken pieces, asparagus, and prepare your lemon: chop, squeeze, remove remaining flesh and seeds, and ZEST the lemon (see tip below).
2. Place asparagus pieces in 13x9 glass (or similar) pan, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and roast for 10 minutes in oven; start cooking pasta.
3. Heat 2-3 Tb. olive oil in large skillet, add chicken and brown, adding seasonings to taste. When it is fully cooked, remove to bowl, reserving all the drippings and oil. Return pan to stove - do not rinse it out.
4. Your asparagus and pasta should be done just about now - remove asparagus from oven and drain pasta, returning it to pot or large serving bowl. Using a spatula, scrape all contents (oil included) of asparagus pan into pasta, and do the same with your bowl of chicken. Set aside.
5. Add another tablespoon of olive oil to pan and warm it over low heat, scraping and reserving the browned bits from just having cooked your chicken. Add fresh lemon zest and...
