Chicken Asparagus Penne
 
 
 
With National Food Month's theme in mind - making small changes one meal at a time - here is a delicious and nutritious pasta dish to get you started.

While you may be tempted to substitute the "sprinkled parmesan" with a more traditional Alfredo sauce, consider this your first small change and small step towards a healthier you.



Ingredients
  1. (16 ounce) package of dried whole grain penne pasta
  2. 5 tablespoons of olive oil, divided
  3. 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts cut into cubes
  4. Salt and pepper to taste
  5. Garlic powder to taste
  6. ½ cup of low-sodium chicken broth
  7. 1 bunch slender asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
  8. 1 clove of garlic, thinly sliced
  9. ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
Directions
  1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil. Add pasta, and cook until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Drain, and set aside.
  2. Warm 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in chicken, and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Cook until chicken is cooked through and browned, about 5 minutes. Remove chicken to paper towels.
  3. Pour chicken broth into the skillet. Then stir in asparagus, garlic, and a punch more garlic powder, salt and pepper. Cover, and steam until the asparagus is just tender, about 5 to 10 minutes. Return chicken to the skillet and warm through.
  4. Stir chicken mixture into pasta and mix well. Let sit for about 5 minutes then add two tablespoons of olive oil before mixing again and sprinkling Parmesan Cheese.
This article was sourced from allrecipes.com .