Chicken Linguine

I walked in the house at 5:30 p.m. and served this up at 6:00 p.m.!  That is the first qualifier for this dish!  The Hubs ate two bowls - that's the second qualifier and you can tweak the veggies to suit what your family likes - that's the home run qualifier!

I ordered this at a restaurant this week and it was DELISH!  One of my favorite things to do is to come home and "re-create" it my way!

You'll Need:

3-4 chicken tenders (fried or grilled)
1/2 box linguine or thin spaghetti noodles
1 1/2 - 2 cups Alfredo sauce (brand of your choosing)
1 package sugar snap peas (fresh or frozen)
1/2 red sweet pepper
1/2 green bell pepper
4 strips bacon (cooked and diced)
1/4 cup Italian cheese blend
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
3 pats butter

Start by cooking a microwave safe pot of water for 6 minutes, then add your pasta (I break my pasta in half so that it fits well and cooks quickly).  Microwave for 10 minutes, drain and set aside.

While your pasta is cooking, sauté the sugar snap peas and diced peppers in a skillet with 2 pats of real butter over medium heat.  You want your veggies tender but not mushy.  Be careful not to over cook them.

As your pasta boils and your veggies cook, slice your cooked chicken tenders into thin strips.  I had some left over fried chicken tenders and they did just great in this recipe.  Make life easy and pick up a snack pack at your favorite chicken drive thru or your local deli.  Fried is yummy, grilled is great too - totally your call.

I microwave my bacon (because I hate the mess of frying and this is faster).  Cook for 3 1/2 minutes then check for doneness.  Add an additional 30 seconds if needed to cook bacon completely.  Be sure to have paper towels under and over or this will make a mess in your microwave.  Let cool then chop the bacon.

Mix your drained pasta with the Alfredo sauce, one pat of butter and 1/4 cup of Italian cheese blend.

Mix the pasta with the sautéed veggies.  Add to your serving dish, top with chicken, bacon and sprinkle with a generous pinch of grated Parmesan cheese.  Voila'!  Dinner is served!

Pair this with garlic bread and the salad of your choice and you have made if from door to table in half an hour!  You can easily adjust the veggies to what your family likes.  Fresh sautéed green beans, broccoli or carrots are simple subs.  On a busy week day - this delivers a quick and delicious dinner!  I hope this works as well for your family as it did for me!

This serves dinner for two - just double for a full family serving.