Orange Chicken

Ok guys, I'm really excited about this one. This is probably one of the best dishes that I've ever made! Yeah, it's that good. This orange chicken reminds me of the orange chicken at Panda Express, except it's better because it's fresh and you know where all of the ingredients came from!

To make roughly 2 servings of this orange chicken you will need:

• 2 Tbs & 1 tsp CORNSTARCH
• 3 EGG WHITES
• 1 CHICKEN BREAST (roughly 10-12 oz.), cut into small chunks
• 1/2 cup ORANGE JUICE
• 1 Tbs SOY SAUCE
• 1 Tbs BROWN SUGAR, packed
• 1 Tbs RICE VINEGAR
• 1/4 tsp SESAME OIL
• Pinch of RED PEPPER FLAKES (you can always add more if you like spicy food!)
• 1 clove of GARLIC, minced
• About 1/2 inch of freshly grated GINGER
• VEGETABLE or PEANUT OIL, for frying
• Optional: 2 GREEN ONIONS, to top

Start off by whisking up the egg whites with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch using a fork in a medium sized bowl until it begins to get frothy. 

Add the chicken pieces and allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes. 

While you are waiting on the chicken start heating about 2 inches of oil to 350 degrees F in a pot. 

Then mix the orange juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, salt, crushed red pepper, garlic, and ginger in a nonstick skillet.

Heat the sauce on the stove for about 5 minutes over medium heat until it starts to thicken. While the sauce is thickening up, whisk together 1/4 cup of cool water with the remaining teaspoon of cornstarch. After the sauce has been heating for 5 minutes, turn off the stove and mix in 1 to 2 teaspoons of the cornstarch slurry. Stir for about 1 minute to further thicken the sauce. Then set aside.

Once the oil reaches 350 degrees F, use a pair of tongs to gently place each piece of chicken into the oil individually. If you try to add more than one piece of chicken at a time the chunks will stick together and you will have clumps of chicken pieces rather than individual pieces. Cook the chicken in the oil for 3-4 minutes.

Once cooked, take the chicken out of the oil and place it onto a paper towel to drain and cool for a few minutes.

Then, drop the chicken back into the oil for another minute to get it extra crispy! 

Remove from the oil and allow to drain on a new paper towel.

Lastly, toss the chicken in the sauce and give it a taste! (You're welcome!)

Serve the chicken over some noodles or rice and top with green onions! 

Writing up this post makes me want to go make it again! It was so good! I hope you enjoy!

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Orange Chicken

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbs & 1 tsp CORNSTARCH
• 3 EGG WHITES
• 1 CHICKEN BREAST (roughly 10-12 oz.), cut into small chunks
• 1/2 cup ORANGE JUICE
• 1 Tbs SOY SAUCE
• 1 Tbs BROWN SUGAR, packed
• 1 Tbs RICE VINEGAR
• 1/4 tsp SESAME OIL
• Pinch of RED PEPPER FLAKES (you can always add more if you like spicy food!)
• 1 clove of GARLIC, minced
• About 1/2 inch of freshly grated GINGER
• VEGETABLE or PEANUT OIL, for frying
• Optional: 2 GREEN ONIONS, to top

Directions:

1. Whisk up the egg whites with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch using a fork in a medium sized bowl until it begins to get frothy. 
2. Add the chicken pieces and allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes. 
3. While you are waiting on the chicken, start heating about 2 inches of oil to 350 degrees F in a pot. 
4. Mix the orange juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, salt, crushed red pepper, garlic, and ginger in a nonstick skillet. 
5. Heat the sauce on the stove for about 5 minutes over medium heat until it starts to thicken. While the sauce is thickening up, whisk together 1/4 cup of cool water with the remaining teaspoon of cornstarch. After the sauce has been heating for 5 minutes, turn off the stove and mix in 1 to 2 teaspoons of the cornstarch slurry. Stir for about 1 minute to further thicken the sauce. Then set aside.
6. Once the oil reaches 350 degrees F, use a pair of tongs to gently place each piece of chicken into the oil individually. If you try to add more than one piece of chicken at a time the chunks will stick together and you will have clumps of chicken pieces rather than individual pieces. Cook the chicken in the oil for 3-4 minutes. 
7. Once cooked, take the chicken out of the oil and place it onto a paper towel to drain and cool for a few minutes. 
8. Then, drop the chicken back into the oil for another minute to get it extra crispy! Then, remove the chicken from the oil and allow to drain on a new paper towel. 
9. Lastly, toss the chicken in the sauce and give it a taste!
10. Serve the chicken over some noodles or rice and top with green onions! 

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I got this recipe from the following website: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/orange-chicken.html

Sweet Balsamic Chicken

When I made this dish I was attempting to make a copycat recipe for The Cheesecake Factory's chicken Madeira... without actually having to use Madeira wine. What I found was that if an ingredient is in the name, you should probably use it in the recipe. I guess I should have known better... So if you are looking for a chicken Madeira recipe, this is not the recipe for you! On the other hand, if you are just looking for a good chicken recipe, this is one to try! I thought the most prominent flavor in this dish was the balsamic vinegar, so I'm calling it sweet balsamic chicken! (Original I know!)

I served this chicken with mashed potatoes and asparagus because I was trying to recreate The Cheesecake Factory's dish. I would recommend serving this chicken with mashed potatoes if you decide to make it because it balanced out the acidity of the balsamic vinegar in the sauce really well. 

To make two servings of this balsamic chicken you will need:

• 1 (about 10 oz.) large CHICKEN BREAST, split down the middle
• 1-2 Tbs BUTTER
• 1 cup MUSHROOMS, sliced
• 1/2 cup BALSAMIC VINEGAR
• 1/2 cup BEEF BROTH
• 1 Tbs BROWN SUGAR
• SALT & PEPPER, to taste
• Optional: 2 slices of PROVOLONE or MOZZARELLA CHEESE

This first step is optional: Place the split chicken breast between two pieces of cling wrap and press the layers together to create a seal around the chicken to prevent the juices from splattering all over your kitchen. Then use the flat side of a meat tenderizer (or another blunt object such as a rolling pin) to pound out the chicken to be about 1/4 inch thick. Pounding out the chicken will help it to cook faster and more evenly.

Melt 1-2 tablespoons of butter into a large skillet and then saute the mushrooms for a few minutes. 

Add the balsamic vinegar, beef broth, and brown sugar to the pan with the mushrooms.

Mix the sauce and then bring it to a simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced by half.

Next, add the chicken into the sauce and cook for a few minutes on each side or until it is cooked through.

Once the chicken is cooked though, place it in an oven safe dish or baking pan and top with a slice of cheese (or shredded in the case of the one on the left). Put it under the broiler for about 3 minutes in order to melt and slightly brown the cheese.

It will come out looking like the picture below! Serve it up with some mashed potatoes and asparagus...

...and then top with the mushrooms and sauce!

Yum!

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Balsamic Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1 (about 10 oz.) large CHICKEN BREAST
• 1-2 Tbs BUTTER
• 1 cup MUSHROOMS, sliced
• 1/2 cup BALSAMIC VINEGAR
• 1/2 cup BEEF BROTH
• 1 Tbs BROWN SUGAR
• SALT & PEPPER, to taste
• Optional: 2 slices of PROVOLONE or MOZZARELLA CHEESE

Directions:

1. This first step is optional: Place the split chicken breast between two pieces of cling wrap and press the layers together to create a seal around the chicken to prevent the juices from splattering all over your kitchen. Then use the flat side of a meat tenderizer (or another blunt object such as a rolling pin) to pound out the chicken to be about 1/4 inch thick. Pounding out the chicken will help it to cook faster and more evenly.
2. Melt 1-2 tablespoons of butter into a large skillet and then saute the mushrooms for a few minutes. 
3. Add the balsamic vinegar, beef broth, and brown sugar to the pan with the mushrooms.
4. Mix the sauce and then bring it to a simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced by half.
5. Next, add the chicken into the sauce and cook for a few minutes on each side or until it is cooked through.
6. Once the chicken is cooked though, place it in an oven safe dish or baking pan and top with a slice of cheese. Put it under the broiler for about 3 minutes in order to melt and slightly brown the cheese.
7. Serve it up with some mashed potatoes and asparagus, then top with the mushrooms and sauce!

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I based this recipe of one that I found on the following site: http://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/2013/05/our-version-of-cheesecake-factorys-chicken-madeira.html

How to Stir Fry!

My husband found an article a few months ago that did a really good job of explaining how to put a stir fry together. The article was written like a recipe, but rather than giving a list of ingredients, it explained more about how to prepare ingredients you like and how to best cook it up into a stir fry. So in this post I will try to explain in as few steps as possible how to prepare a fantastic stir fry for two people! ...And the best part is that you can use all of your favorite ingredients (or just use what is currently in your refrigerator)!

To make a stir fry for 2 people you will need the following ingredients.

Protein:

• 1 Tbs OIL
• About 10 oz. of a PROTEIN, cubed or cut into thin strips. Here are some suggestions:
• CHICKEN (breast or thighs)
• RED MEAT (tenderloin, sirloin, skirt or flank steak, etc.)
• SHRIMP
• SCALLOPS
• TOFU

Aromatics:

• You don't have to use all of these, they are just suggested proportions if you choose to use them. (I left out the ginger.)
• 1 Tbs (5-6 cloves) GARLIC, minced 
• 1 medium ONION, sliced into strips
• 1 Tbs GINGER, minced

Produce:

• 1-2 Tbs OIL
• 2-3 different types of VEGETABLES totaling about 3 cups in volume. (I bought a few things especially for this stir fry and used a few things that I just has leftover in my fridge. I ended up using 1 head of broccoli, 2 carrots, 1 can of bean sprouts, 1/2 a green pepper, and 3 green onions.) Here are some produce suggestions:
• BROCCOLI
• CARROTS
• BEAN SPROUTS
• GREEN PEPPERS
• MUSHROOMS
• SNOW PEAS
• WATER CHESTNUTS
• BABY CORN
• BAMBOO SHOOTS
• GREEN ONIONS
• The options are endless!!! 

Sauce:

• Choose one of the following SAUCES. I used the Soy-Sesame Sauce in the pictures, but all of the sauces are delicious! You could even skip making a sauce and just use about 1/4 cup of soy sauce if you prefer that!
• Lemon Sauce
• 1/4 cup LEMON JUICE
• 1/4 cup CHICKEN BROTH
• 1 Tbs SOY SAUCE
• 2 Tbs SUGAR
• 2 tsp CORNSTARCH
• Sweet & Sour Sauce
• 1/4 cup CHICKEN BROTH
• 2 Tbs SOY SAUCE
• 2 Tbs CIDER, BALSAMIC, or RICE WINE VINEGAR
• 1 Tbs BROWN SUGAR
• 1/2 tsp RED PEPPER FLAKES
• 2 tsp CORNSTARCH
• Soy-Sesame Sauce
• 1/4 cup CHICKEN BROTH
• 1/4 cup SOY SAUCE 
• 2 tsp RICE WINE VINEGAR
• 2 tsp SESAME OIL
• 1/2 tsp RED PEPPER FLAKES
• 1 tsp SUGAR
• 2 tsp CORNSTARCH

The most important thing I have found with making a stir fry is to chop all of the ingredients and mix up the sauce before you start cooking anything. Once all of the ingredients are prepared, the cooking part goes pretty fast. If you wait and chop as you go the veggies will probably be over-cooked by the end (although that would not be the end of the world). 

So, step 1, chop your protein and all of your veggies into bite sized pieces. 

Next, mix up the sauce! In a small bowl stir together all of the ingredients in the sauce of your choice (I used the soy-sesame sauce). Then set it aside for later.

When you are ready to start cooking heat a large skillet over high heat and then give it a few minutes to get good and hot. (If you use a cast iron skillet it will take longer to heat up than if you use a nonstick skillet. Cooking over high heat is one of the most important things when stir frying.)

Once the pan is hot, pour about a tablespoon of oil into the pan and give it a few second to heat up. When the oil is hot, add the protein. (I used a chicken breast.) Cook the protein for 2-3 minutes, or until the protein is cooked through.

Once cooked, take the protein out of the pan and set it aside in small bowl.

With the heat still on high, add 1-2 tablespoons of oil to the pan. When the oil is hot add the aromatics and cook them for 1-2 minutes until the onion starts to get translucent around the edges.

Next, add the vegetable that you think will take the longest to cook (In my case it was the carrots and green onion). If you aren't sure, or if you think they will all take about the same time then just pick one!

Cook the first round of vegetables for about 2 minutes. (The vegetables will continue to cook as you add more and more vegetables into the pan so don't worry about getting them cooked all the way yet!)

Then add the next round of vegetables and cook for another 1-2 minutes.

Adding the vegetables to the skillet in rounds helps the pan to remain hot and cook consistently high. When you add a bunch of things to the skillet at once that are cool or room temperature it brings down the temperature of the pan.

If you haven't added all of your vegetables at this point, add the rest of them now! Cook for 1 minute.

Next, add your protein back into the skillet and pour your sauce over the stir fry. Cook for another 1-2 minutes or until the sauce has thicken and all of the vegetables are tender and coated in sauce.

Yummm!

Remove from the heat, serve over rice, and enjoy!

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Stir Fry

Ingredients:

To make a stir fry for 2 people you will need the following ingredients.

Protein:

• 1 Tbs OIL
• About 10 oz. of a PROTEIN, cubed or cut into thin strips
• CHICKEN (breast or thighs)
• RED MEAT (tenderloin, sirloin, skirt or flank steak, etc.)
• SHRIMP
• SCALLOPS
• TOFU

Aromatics:

• You don't have to use all of these, they are just suggested proportions if you choose to use them. (I left out the ginger.)
• 1 Tbs (5-6 cloves) GARLIC, minced 
• 1 medium ONION, sliced into strips
• 1 Tbs GINGER, minced

Produce:

• 1-2 Tbs OIL
• 2-3 different types of VEGETABLES totaling 3-4 cups in volume. (I bought a few things especially for this stir fry and used a few things that I just has leftover in my fridge. I ended up using 1 head of broccoli, 2 carrots, 1 can of bean sprouts, 1/2 a green pepper, and 3 green onions.) Here are some produce suggestions:
• BROCCOLI
• CARROTS
• BEAN SPROUTS
• GREEN PEPPERS
• MUSHROOMS
• SNOW PEAS
• WATER CHESTNUTS
• BABY CORN
• BAMBOO SHOOTS
• GREEN ONIONS
• The options are endless!!! 

Sauce:

• Choose one of the following SAUCES. I used the Soy-Sesame Sauce in the pictures, but all of the sauces are delicious! You could even skip making a sauce and just mix about 1/4 cup of soy sauce with 2 tsp of corn starch if you prefer that!
• Lemon Sauce
• 1/4 cup LEMON JUICE
• 1/4 cup CHICKEN BROTH
• 1 Tbs SOY SAUCE
• 2 Tbs SUGAR
• 2 tsp CORNSTARCH
• Sweet & Sour Sauce
• 1/4 cup CHICKEN BROTH
• 2 Tbs SOY SAUCE
• 2 Tbs CIDER, BALSAMIC, or RICE WINE VINEGAR
• 1 Tbs BROWN SUGAR
• 1/2 tsp RED PEPPER FLAKES
• 2 tsp CORNSTARCH
• Soy-Sesame Sauce
• 1/4 cup CHICKEN BROTH
• 1/4 cup SOY SAUCE 
• 2 tsp RICE WINE VINEGAR
• 2 tsp SESAME OIL
• 1/2 tsp RED PEPPER FLAKES
• 1 tsp SUGAR
• 2 tsp CORNSTARCH

Directions:

1. Chop your protein and all of your veggies into bite sized pieces. 
• The most important thing I have found with making a stir fry is to chop all of the ingredients and mix up the sauce before you start cooking anything. Once all of the ingredients are prepared the cooking part goes pretty fast. If you wait and chop as you go the veggies will probably be over-cooked by the end (although that would not be the end of the world). 
2. In a small bowl mix together all of the ingredients in the sauce of your choice. Then set it aside for later.
3. When you are ready to start cooking heat a large skillet over high heat and then give it a few minutes to get good and hot. 
• If you use a cast iron skillet it will take longer to heat up than if you use a nonstick skillet.
• Cooking over high heat is one of the most important things when stir frying.
4. Once the pan is hot, pour about a tablespoon of oil into the pan and give it a few second to heat up. When the oil is hot, add the protein. Cook the protein for 2-3 minutes, or until the protein is cooked through. Once cooked, take the protein out of the pan and set it aside in small bowl. 
5. With the heat still on high, add 1-2 tablespoons of oil to the pan. When the oil is hot add the aromatics and cook them for 1-2 minutes until the onion starts to get translucent around the edges.
6. Next, add the vegetable that you think will take the longest to cook. (If you aren't sure, or if you think they will all take about the same time then just pick one!) Cook the first round of vegetables for about 2 minutes. 
• Adding the vegetables to the skillet in rounds helps the pan to remain hot and cook consistently high. When you add a bunch of things to the skillet at once that are cool or room temperature it brings down the temperature of the pan.
7. Then add the next round of vegetables and cook for another 1-2 minutes. 
8. If you haven't added all of your vegetables at this point, add the rest of them now! Cook for 1 more minute.
9. Next, add your protein back into the skillet and then pour your sauce over the stir fry. Cook for another 1-2 minutes or until the sauce has thicken and all of the vegetables are tender and coated in sauce.
10. Remove from the heat, serve over rice, and enjoy!

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My husband found this recipe for how to stir fry on the following website: http://allrecipes.com/howto/super-easy-stir-fry/

Fajitas

Fajitas are so good and so easy! They are definitely a staple recipe in my family!

To make 2 to 3 servings of fajitas you will need:

• 1 BELL PEPPER, sliced into strips
• 1 ONION, sliced into strips
• 1 CHICKEN BREAST, sliced into strips
• 4-6 FLOUR TORTILLAS

Seasoning mix:

• 3/4 tsp CUMIN
• 1/2 tsp CHILI POWDER
• 1/4 tsp PAPRIKA
• 1/4 tsp CAYENNE
• 1/4 tsp GARLIC POWDER
• 1/4 tsp SALT

Start off by cutting the pepper, onion, and chicken into slices. Easy peasy! Then throw the onion and pepper into a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the veggies until they start to wilt a little bit. Toss them occasionally so they don't burn on one side! 

(This is where personal preference comes in a little bit though. If you like your fajitas to have really caramelized onions and peppers, then cook them longer on their own. If you like the veggies to still have a little bit of a crunch to them, then just cook them until they just start to wilt. They will continue cooking after the chicken has been added in.) 

Once the onions and peppers have cooked for a bit, throw the chicken in the skillet! Keep tossing everything occasionally to make sure the ingredients cook evenly. (I know, throwing raw chicken into a pan with veggies might be weird to some people. It was hard for me at first too! But don't worry, everything will get cooked!)

While the chicken is cooking, measure out the spice mix. Set aside until the chicken is cooked.

Once the chicken is cooked through, sprinkle the spice mix over the onions, peppers, and chicken strips. Keep tossing the ingredients until everything has a good coating of spices!

Just before serving, steam the tortillas. I usually roll a damp paper towel up in a tortilla and then microwave it for about 30 seconds. When everything is cooked and the tortilla are steamed, serve it up!

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Fajitas

Ingredients:

To make 2 to 3 servings of fajitas you will need:

• 1 GREEN PEPPER, sliced into strips
• 1 ONION, sliced into strips
• 1 CHICKEN BREAST, sliced into strips
• 4-6 FLOUR TORTILLAS

Seasoning mix:

• 3/4 tsp CUMIN
• 1/2 tsp CHILI POWDER
• 1/4 tsp PAPRIKA
• 1/4 tsp CAYENNE
• 1/4 tsp GARLIC POWDER
• 1/4 tsp SALT

Directions:

1. Start off by cutting the pepper, onion, and chicken into slices. Easy peasy! 
2. Throw the onion and pepper into a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the veggies until they start to wilt a little bit. Toss them occasionally so they don't burn on one side! 
3. Once the onions and peppers have cooked for a bit, throw the chicken in the skillet! Keep tossing everything occasionally to make sure the ingredients cook evenly. 
4. While the chicken is cooking, measure out the spice mix. Set aside until the chicken is cooked.
5. Once the chicken is cooked through, sprinkle the spice mix over the onions, peppers, and chicken strips. Keep tossing the ingredients until everything has a good coating of spices!
6. Just before serving, steam the tortillas. I usually roll a damp paper towel up in a tortilla and then microwave it for about 30 seconds. When everything is cooked and the tortilla are steamed, serve it up!

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Zesty Bruschetta Chicken

I love this dish, it combines several of my favorite foods into one meal! A grilled chicken breast is topped with chopped tomato, olive oil, garlic, and basil all over a bed of fettuccine alfredo! Yum! I didn't say it was particularly healthy did I? ...the tomatoes balance out the alfredo sauce though right?? 

To make this dish for two people you will need:

• 1 (8-10 oz.) CHICKEN BREAST, sliced long-wise into two thin pieces
• KRAFT ZESTY ITALIAN DRESSING (enough to cover the chicken as a marinade)
• 4 ROMA TOMATOES, cubed
• 6 BASIL LEAVES or 1 Tbs DRIED BASIL, chopped
• 2-3 GARLIC CLOVES, minced
• 5-6 Tbs EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
• 4 oz. FETTUCCINE (or your favorite type of pasta)
• PARMESAN or ROMANO CHEESE, shredded (to sprinkle on top of the dish)

For the alfredo sauce you can either buy a jar of sauce OR you could make it using the following ingredients:

• 2 Tbs UNSALTED BUTTER,
• 1/4 cup HEAVY CREAM
• 1/2 cup PARMESAN CHEESE, grated (I like to use 1/4 cup GRATED & 1/4 cup SHREDDED because it creates a lighter sauce, but we usually keep both on hand anyway so it isn't a big deal for us.)
• SALT & PEPPER, to taste

Start by putting the split chicken breast into a small container and pour the zesty Italian salad dressing over the top until the chicken is just covered. Allow the chicken to marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes in the refrigerator. It could be left to marinate over night.

While the chicken is marinating, start heating a large pot of water for the pasta. Chop the tomatoes into bite sized pieces. Mix the tomatoes with the basil, garlic, and olive oil in a small bowl. Set aside.

Once the water in the large pot has come to a boil, cook your pasta according to the label on the box (generally about 10 minutes). When the chicken has marinated for at least 30 minutes, grill it! (You could use a grill pan, a George Foreman grill, or an actual grill if you have one!) 

While the chicken and pasta are cooking, melt the butter in a small pot. Once the butter is melted, add the heavy cream, and then stir in 1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese. 

When the pasta is fully cooked, drain the water and then pour the cream sauce over the pasta in a medium sized bowl. Toss the pasta in the sauce and then sprinkle on the remaining 1/4 cup parmesan cheese (either grated or shredded). Continue tossing the pasta until the cheese, sauce, and pasta are well mixed!

Once the chicken is cooked all the way through, remove it from the grill and slice it. 

To assemble the dish, divide the pasta between two bowls. Then divide the sliced chicken and place it on top of the pasta. Spoon the tomato mixture over the top and then sprinkle on a little bit of parmesan or romano cheese!

Delicous!

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Zesty Bruschetta Chicken

Ingredients:

To make this dish for two people you will need:

• 1 (8-10 oz.) CHICKEN BREAST, sliced long-wise into two thin pieces
• KRAFT ZESTY ITALIAN DRESSING (enough to cover the chicken as a marinade)
• 4 ROMA TOMATOES, cubed
• 6 BASIL LEAVES or 1 Tbs DRIED BASIL, chopped
• 2-3 GARLIC CLOVES, minced
• 5-6 Tbs EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
• 4 oz. FETTUCCINE (or your favorite type of pasta)
• PARMESAN or ROMANO CHEESE, shredded (to sprinkle on top of the dish)

For the alfredo sauce you can either buy a jar of sauce OR you could make it using the following ingredients:

• 2 Tbs UNSALTED BUTTER,
• 1/4 cup HEAVY CREAM
• 1/2 cup PARMESAN CHEESE, grated (I like to use 1/4 cup GRATED & 1/4 cup SHREDDED because it creates a lighter sauce, but we usually keep both on hand anyway so it isn't a big deal for us.)
• SALT & PEPPER, to taste

Directions:

1. Start by putting the split chicken breast into a small container and pour the zesty Italian salad dressing on top until the chicken is just covered. Allow the chicken to marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes in the refrigerator. It could be left to marinate over night. 
2. While the chicken is marinating, start heating a large pot of water for the pasta. 
3. Chop the tomatoes into bite sized pieces. Mix the tomatoes with the basil, garlic, and olive oil in a small bowl. Set aside.
4. Once the water in the large pot has come to a boil, cook your pasta according to the label on the box (generally about 10 minutes). 
5. When the chicken has marinated for at least 30 minutes, grill it! (You could use a grill pan, a George Foreman grill, or an actual grill if you have one!) 
6. While the chicken and pasta are cooking, melt the butter in a small pot. Once the butter is melted, add the heavy cream, and then stir in 1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese. 
7. When the pasta is fully cooked, drain the water and then pour the cream sauce over the pasta in a medium sized bowl. Toss the pasta in the sauce and then sprinkle on the remaining 1/4 cup parmesan cheese (either grated or shredded). Continue tossing the pasta until the cheese, sauce, and pasta are well mixed!
8. Once the chicken is cooked all the way through, remove it from the grill and slice it. 
9. To assemble the dish, divide the pasta between two bowls. Then divide the sliced chicken and place it on top of the pasta. Spoon the tomato mixture over the top and then sprinkle on a little bit of parmesan or romano cheese!

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I got this recipe from the following website: http://myprizedrecipes.com/three-cheese-chicken-penne-pasta-applebees-style/