Chicken and Peas Alfredo

This is going to be short and sweet tonight.

After a full day of researching and testing a little project that I hope to share with you this weekend (whether it turns out to be a success or failure!), time completely away from me. By the time I looked at the clock, it was 5pm, and I had nothing planned for dinner.

Isn’t that kind of funny?  I spend the whole day in the kitchen, yet no meal on the horizon..

That’s okay; I always have the ingredients for Alfredo sauce in the refrigerator; which is not only quick and easy, but also so versatile.  You can serve it as a plain Alfredo sauce, or you can add chicken or seafood, and vegetables, and make it a different meal every time! Serve it over any kind of pasta or gnocchi….it doesn’t have to be limited to fettuccine.

It happens to be one of my daughter Jessica’s favorite meals.  She likes it with chicken and peas, so that’s how I made it tonight, and served it over spaghetti. It was easy enough to thaw a couple of boneless chicken breasts… No one was the wiser that an hour before, I had no idea what I would be serving!

Typically, an Alfredo sauce is made with butter, heavy cream, and Parmesan cheese.  I didn’t use butter tonight, because there was plenty of juice in the pan after sautéing the chicken in a basil flavored olive oil.  If you can’t find basil flavored olive oil near you, use regular olive oil.  It will be just as delicious. I promise.

Chicken and Pea Alfredo
(Serves 4)

3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, minced
3 tbsp basil olive oil (or extra virgin olive oil if you can’t find basil flavored)
2 boneless chicken breasts, cut into medallions
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
2 tbsp Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Poultry Magic (or your favorite cajun seasoning)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup parmesan cheese
Spaghetti, cooked to al dente

In a heavy frying pan, sauté the garlic and onions in the olive oil, until translucent. Add the chicken medallions, Poultry Magic, salt and pepper to the garlic and onion mixture, and cook until browned.

Add the peas to the chicken, and sauté for about 2 minutes.

Add the heavy cream to the pan, and let simmer for about five minutes.  Add the parmesan cheese, and simmer until thickened.

Serve over spaghetti, and sprinkle with more parmesan, and fresh ground pepper.

Enjoy!