Chicken Breast Recipes: Chicken & Peppers Pasta

Chicken recipes are a staple of our dinners, week in and week out. However, chicken can get boring prepared from the same dull chicken recipe. The following chicken recipe is easy to make, full of vitamins, and always a hit. It's got so much packed in, half the time you don't even need a side dish. You can even make a few variations to the recipe to suit the dish to your tastes. Step away from the baked chicken breast recipe and wow your family with this dish tonight.

Chicken & Peppers

Ingredients

-1 package of boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1-2 lbs, depending on the amount of people you're feeding)
-3 bell peppers (I use one red, one yellow, one orange-but any combination of bell peppers will do)
-1 tsp chopped garlic (you can use garlic powder as a substitute)
-1 onion (white or red work best)
-1 TBSP lemon juice
-2 TBSP butter (separated)
-1 box (1 lb) pasta (bow tie works best)
-Salt & pepper to taste

Directions

-First, start a large pot of water on the stove on high.
-While waiting for the water to boil, cut the peppers and onion into strips.
-Chop up the garlic and set the peppers, onions, and garlic aside in a bowl.
-Once the water is bowling, add the box of pasta and cook according to the box directions.
-While the pasta is cooking, begin cutting the chicken breasts into thin strips.
-Melt 1 TBSP butter into a large pan, then add the sliced chicken.
-Coat the chicken with the lemon juice, salt, and pepper. (If you use garlic powder, add it here as well).
-Cook the chicken on medium high to high or until it is cooked through
-Add the pepper mixture to the pan. Allow the mixture to sit on top of the chicken for 3-5 minutes.
-Begin to stir chicken and peppers to get some brown edges on both.
-Drain the pasta and put in a large bowl with the other tablespoon of butter.
-Either add the chicken to the bowl of pasta, or keep them separate until plating.

Presentation

At my home, we aren't worried about our food being pretty as long as it's good. So we just mix the peppers and chicken all together in one big bowl and serve from there. However, if you're trying to impress let the bright colors of the peppers contrasting with the pasta work for you. Plate the pasta first, then put a scoop of the chicken mixture on top. You can also garnish with a small slice of lemon.

Side Dishes

Since you have your meat, your grains, and your vegetables all in one dish, it isn't always necessary to create a side dish to go along with this tasty meal. However, here are a few possibilities if you've got some big eaters in your family.

-Fruit Salad: Depending on the time of year and what fruits are available, just a nice light mix of fruits would be a good addition to this somewhat spicy meal. My favorite mix of fruits is watermelon, cantaloupe, and grapes-depending on what looks good.

-Lettuce Salad: A simple salad of leafy green onions, cucumbers, and leftover slices of peppers and onions would be a lighter addition that still threads in with the main dish itself. I would pair this salad with a lighter dressing like Caesar vinaigrette or an Italian dressing.

-You could also serve this meal with a more "green" vegetable that contrasts with the peppers. Green beans, asparagus, or even broccoli depending on what your family likes and what looks good at the store.

Put it all together and it's a delicious chicken recipe that doesn't feel like your everyday, ho-hum chicken dish. It's flavorful and a great dish for a family meal or even for a group of guests.