2large chicken breasts, (halved width-wise to make 4 breasts)
¼tspground ginger
¼tspground sage
¼tspcayenne pepper
¼tspground black pepper
¼tspgarlic powder
¼tsppaprika
¼tspsalt
1Tbspplus 1 tsp chili powder
1Tbsppure olive oil
Alfredo:
2Tbspbutter
2Tbsppure olive oil
2-3garlic cloves, minced
2Tbspall-purpose flour
1cupheavy cream
1cupmilk
½cupshredded parmesan cheese
¼tspfresh cracked black pepper
¼tspdried parsley
1 ½tspsalt
½(13.25oz) box whole wheat linguine noodles
Instructions
Combine ginger, sage, cayenne, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika salt & chili powder in a bowl. Rub seasoning mix on all sides of each chicken breast.
Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large saute pan. Gently place each breast into the pan. Cook 7 minutes on medium-high heat.
Start the water for, & cook the linguine noodles according to the directions on the package.
Meanwhile, prepare sauce by melting butter with the olive oil in a saucepan. Add minced garlic & simmer 1 minute. Add flour & whisk vigorously until well blended. Slowly add heavy cream & milk & whisk continuously. Add cheese, pepper, parsley & salt. Turn heat down to a low simmer. Whisk occasionally for 6-7 minutes or until thickened. Taste & adjust seasonings to taste. (NOTE: You can increase the amount of cheese if desired, but decrease the amount of salt, since cheese is high in sodium.)
Using a spatula turn chicken over, cover & cook another 7 minutes. The cooked side should be "black" from the seasonings, but not burned. Keep the heat on medium-high. Placing the lid on at this point will help keep the chicken moist while the pan is still hot enough to create the blackened sear that you want. Make sure chicken is cooked all the way through, remove from heat & allow chicken to rest 5 minutes before slicing to keep juices inside.
Once noodles are cooked, drain them. Toss with prepared alfredo. Slice chicken & serve over a bed of noodles & sauce. Sprinkle with extra parmesan cheese if desired.