Spur-of-the-moment lunch treat

Still on the way to full recovery and sometimes have some dizzy spells so kitchen activity is very minimal. But I suddenly felt the urge to cook something for lunch today which I can share with my girlfriends/co-workers. So I made penne pasta with creamy garlic-chicken sauce. It’s a very simple dish but I know they’ll love it and they did. But I should have told them I was bringing lunch so they need not buy lunch. Oh well- it was meant as a surprise ...lol ...

Here's how to make it :-)

Creamy Garlic Chicken and Pasta

Ingredients:

chicken tender pieces

salt and pepper

3 tbsp flour

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp butter

½ red bell pepper, sliced, optional

1 tbsp lemon juice

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 cup chicken broth

½ cup half and half

Salt and pepper, to taste

grated parmesan cheese

Preparation:

Lightly season chicken tender pieces with salt and pepper; dredge in flour.

Heat the oil and 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat; add the chicken and brown for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side.

Add the bell pepper, lemon juice, garlic and chicken broth; bring to a simmer.

Cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Add the cream and salt and pepper, to taste.

Add the grated Parmesan and serve with pasta of your choice. I used penne pasta which I cooked al dente

We had garlic bread and we finished lunch off with frozen peach yogurt which we topped with sliced bananas, strawberries and low fat mixed berry granola.