Grilled Chicken with Penne Pasta and Parmesan Cream Sauce

Makes 4-6 servings

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons white wine, Pinot Grigio
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup no-fat milk
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
  • 1 pound penne pasta, cooked
  • Your favorite bottled Italian dressing, for marinating the chicken
  • 3 skinless chicken breast fillets, pounded 1/4 inch thick
  • 1/2 cup (about 2 ounces) thick-sliced smoked prosciutto, chopped

Topping

  • 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika

Garnish

  • 4 sprigs rosemary

Directions

Preheat you barbecue grill to high. Pound the thick end of your chicken breasts a bit with a kitchen mallet to make them a uniform thickness, about 1/4 inch thick. Place the pounded breasts in a glass or ceramic dish and pour enough Italian dressing over them to coat. Cover and refrigerate until ready to cook.

Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the minced garlic and sweat it for about 5 minutes making sure the garlic doesn't brown. Add the wine and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients for the sauce and whisk well until smooth. Bring mixture to a simmer cook until it's thick. You'll be able to draw a line on the back of your spoon. Cover sauce and remove it from the heat.

Cook the penne pasta following directions on the package (7 to 9 minutes in boiling water). Strain pasta and set it aside when it's done. Grill the chicken breasts for 5 to 6 minutes per side. Set aside to rest and then slice each breast into strips.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. In a large, shallow baking dish, pour in all of the cooked pasta. Add the chicken, the chopped prosciutto and all of the Parmesan cream sauce. Toss to coat. Combine 3 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese with 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika and sprinkle the mixture over the top of the dish.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the top begins to brown. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve with a sprig of rosemary in the center of the dish.

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