Balsamic Chicken and Pasta

If you've been reading my blog for any period of time you know there's two things you can always count on me for: pasta recipes and chicken recipes. Chicken AND pasta in one recipe is another pretty likely candidate. I know what works for me and I stick to it, ok?

This dinner was one of those "I have some of this...and a bit of that... and a little bit of this..." type meals. I start off with a general idea (balsamic chicken) and go from there. We really enjoyed this. The balsamic flavor was subtle so if you like a stronger balsamic kick to your meals I'd up it, but only add an extra tablespoon and taste it, then more and taste it, etc. You can always add more but you can't take away some and too much balsamic can be a very strong taste to mask!

Source: Stephanie Cooks Original

Ingredients:
1/2 pound chicken breast, cut into 1" pieces
Garlic salt and pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chicken broth
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 diced tomato
1 tbsp dried parsley
1/2 pound penne pasta

Directions:
1- Season chicken with garlic salt and pepper, until well seasoned on all sides.
2- Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet. Add the garlic and stir for about 1 minute.
3- Add the chicken to the pan and allow to brown on one side. Flip, allowing to brown on the other side. Cook 2-3 minutes.
4- Remove the chicken from the pan and cover.
5- Add the broth and cook over high heat for about 4 minutes, scraping up the bottom of the pan.
6- Add the balsamic vinegar and cream. Stir well. Add the tomato and parsley. Turn the heat down low and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
7- Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions.
8- Add the chicken back into the sauce and allow to heat through.
9- Add the hot pasta to the skillet, stirring until well coated. Serve hot. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and fresh basil if desired.