Chicken Pasta With Creamy Cilantro-Lime Alfredo Sauce

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 lb chicken breast , cut into strips or cubed
  • salt and pepper
  • 3 garlic cloves , minced
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1/3 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon cilantro fresh, chopped
  • 2/3 cups heavy cream
  • 2/3 cups milk
  • 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese or parmesan cheese, shredded
  • 1 box spaghetti
  • reserved cooked pasta water
  • 2 tablespoon cilantro fresh, chopped

Instructions

  • Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium-hot heat. Generously season sliced chicken with salt and pepper, add to the hot skillet and cook for about 6 – 8 minutes until done. Remove sliced chicken from the skillet.
  • To the same skillet, add minced garlic, lime juice and about 3/4 of the chicken broth. Cook for 1-2 minutes on high heat, deglazing with the remaining bit of broth, and scraping the skillet until the liquid is reduced and making sure garlic does not burn and brown too much. Mix in chopped cilantro.
  • Add heavy cream and milk. Bring to low boil, the immediately add cheese and mix in until melted, while boiling. Then, remove from heat.
  • Cook pasta according to package instructions, drain, reserving some cooked pasta water.
  • Add pasta to the sauce, along with the half of the chicken. Mix everything in and season pasta with more salt, if needed.
  • Top with the remaining half of the chicken and more chopped cilantro.

Deglazing a pan involves adding liquid, such as stock or wine, to a pan to loosen and dissolve food particles that are stuck to the bottom after cooking or searing. The cooked food particles, known as fond, are the source of immense flavor. The flavorful mixture produced by deglazing can be used to make a sauce