Chicken and Asparagus Pasta Dinner

Life is good when presented with a luscious bowl of pasta filled with chicken, asparagus, tomatoes and fresh herbs in a creamy Parmesan Sauce.

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts - cubed
• 1 small bunch of asparagus - tender part only cut on the bias into bite size pieces
• 1 box of bow tie pasta - cook ONLY 1/2 to 2/3 of the box to the manufacturers directions
• 1 1/4 cups chicken broth
• 1/3 cup onion - finely diced
• 1/2 cup grape tomatoes - cut in half lengthwise
• 1/2 cup half and half cream
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tbsp. dry sherry
• 1 tbsp. butter or margarine
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves - finely minced
• 1/2 tsp. fresh rosemary -finely minced
• 1/2 tsp. fresh sage - finely minced
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Salt and pepper the cubed chicken breasts.
2. In a deep skillet over medium high heat, melt the butter and olive oil. When that starts to bubble, add in the cubed chicken breast, stir and cook until slight browning begins on the chicken.  The chicken will finish cooking later on in the dish so remove the chicken to a bowl and turn down the heat to medium low.
3. To the pan add in the onion, stir and cook for 2 minutes then add in the minced garlic. Stir. Cook until the onion becomes translucent.
4. In the same pan de-glaze with the sherry and cook for about 2-3 minutes to reduce the alcohol. Next add in 1 cup chicken broth and reduce by half.
5. While that is happening blanch your asparagus in boiling water (enough to cover asparagus) for about 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, slice it and transfer the asparagus back to the skillet.
6. Add in the fresh rosemary and sage and the cubed chicken.  Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes on low heat.
7. Next, add in the half and half stirring and coating and finally add in the Parmesan cheese. If there does not seem to be enough "sauce", add a touch more chicken broth and half and half to the skillet.
8. If the sauce is too thin, make a slurry of 2 tsp. corn starch and 2 tbsp. chicken broth. Bring the mixture up to a bubble, add in the slurry and stir.
9. Add in the grape tomatoes, stir and then add the cooked pasta and blend all ingredients together.

You are ready to plate the dish! Make this vegetarian by using vegetable broth and leave out the chicken and replace it with a vegetable you like.