Chicken Pasta Primavera - Flower Patch Farmgirl Style Recipe - Quick, Healthy & Ready in 45 Minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 pound asparagus - trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 12 ounces Cavatappi pasta
• 3 boneless, skinless chicken-breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 cup chopped, fresh basil
• 6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
• 2 green onions
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for cooking
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• Pepper
• Salt
• 1 medium yellow pepper, thinly sliced

Instructions:

1. Boil pasta as directed.
2. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking water.Return pasta and reserved cooking water to pot.Slice green onions.
3. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a skillet on medium-high until hot.
4. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.
5. Add chicken to skillet and cook 7 minutes or until chicken is cooked through, stirring occasionally.
6. Transfer chicken to medium bowl; set aside.To same skillet, add remaining 2 teaspoons oil; reduce heat to medium.
7. Add green onions and garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring.
8. Add asparagus and red pepper; cook 6 to 7 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring frequently.Stir in cream, crushed red pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
9. Heat mixture to boiling on medium high.
10. Add halved tomatoes, lemon zest and lemon juice.Cook 1-2 minutes on medium heat, until tomatoes just start to break down.Stir in reserved chicken pieces and remove skillet from heat.
11. Add Parmesan, chicken mixture, and basil to pot with pasta and reserved cooking water. Stir to combine.
12. Garnish with more basil and Parmesan, if you're so inclined.