Light Fettuccine with Sweet Peppers and Blackened Chicken

Ingredients

• 12 ounces dry whole wheat fettuccine pasta or other pasta
• 2 red bell peppers, julienned
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 tablespoon of crushed garlic)
• 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or 3/4 t paprika & 1/4 t chili powder)
• 1 cup reduced fat sour cream (I used fat free)
• 3/4 cup chicken broth (I used fat free)
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• OPTION: when I doubled it - I mixed with some alfredo sauce I already had
• Cracked pepper to taste

BLACKENED CHICKEN

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 t paprika

1 t ground cumin

1 t dried thyme

1 t salt

1/2 t pepper

1/2 t onion powder

Directions for the pasta and sauce

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 10 minutes or until soft; drain.
2. Meanwhile, spray cooking oil in a large skillet and saute red bell peppers, garlic and cayenne pepper over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Stir in sour cream and broth; simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cheese.
4. Toss hot pasta with sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste; serve.

Directions for the chicken

   1. Heat oven to 350 and spray a baking dish with cooking spray

   2. pound the chicken breast until quite thin (around 1/4 inch thick)

   3. Mix all of the spice ingredients together thoroughly.  Coat both sides of the chicken breasts with spices

   4. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium high heat.

   5. Brown chicken breasts on both sides (45-60 seconds per side)

   6. Place chicken in prepared baking pan and bake in oven for 5 to 10 minutes

   7. Remove from oven and slice chicken into stripes.

   8.  Serve with Light Fettuccine with Sweet Peppers