Garlic Herb Grilled Chicken and Parmesan Pasta

Ok, here we go!  First post!

This recipe is a favorite of my husband's.  The oil sauce on the pasta is delicious and so different from the traditional red sauce or cream sauce that you usually find on pasta.  My husband actually refused to try it at first haha.  He was convinced that he wouldn't like pasta if it didn't have tomato sauce on it.  Now, he begs me to make it every week.

Matt and I actually call this pasta dish "Rattlesnake Pasta" because it's spicy. But, I didn't think that sounds as nice as "Parmesan Pasta" so I renamed it for my blog ;)

Parmesan Pasta:

½ Lb Farfalle, Penne, or other pasta

2 Tbsp Butter

2 Tbsp Olive oil

2 Cloves Garlic, minced

1/4 Tsp Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

1/2 Tbsp Dried parsley or 1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

1/3 C Parmesan cheese

• Cook the pasta until al dente.  (make sure to heavily salt the water, there's nothing worse than unseasoned pasta!)
• While the pasta is cooking, sauté the garlic over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 - 2 minutes.  Add the crushed red pepper flakes and remove the pan from the heat.
• Add the strained pasta, parmesan cheese, and parsley and toss to coat.

On to the chicken!  I usually make this on our George Foreman grill because we live in an apartment, so outdoor grilling isn't always a possibility.

Garlic Herb Marinade:

1/3 Cup Canola oil

1 Tsp garlic powder

1 Tsp Italian herbs (I usually use the McCormick blend)

• Whisk together all ingredients.  Marinate the chicken for at least 10 minutes before grilling or baking.
• This marinade can be used for chicken, seafood, pork, or vegetables.

You can reserve some marinade for your vegetable side.  I like to slice zucchini and summer squash into long strips, marinate them in the Garlic Herb Marinade, and then grill those on the George Foreman grill.  Delicious!