BLACKENED CHICKEN FETTUCCINE

Steps:

• Mix blackening spices together in a shallow dish.
• Heat a heavy frying pan over medium-high heat. Pat chicken dry (if needed use a mallet and plastic wrap to lightly tenderize achieving an even thickness) and use blackening spice mix to cover both sides of chicken pieces, until evenly coated.
• Place in hot, ungreased pan. Cook on each side until spices are blackened and fragrant and chicken is cooked through, about 5-6 minutes total. Set chicken aside on a plate and cover to rest.
• While chicken is cooking, bring a large stock pot of salted water to a boil over high heat (optional: add a splash of vegetable oil to reduce clumping and foaming). Cook pasta until Al dente, for Artesian about 8 minutes, commercial about 12 minutes.
• While pasta is boiling, wipe out frying pan used for chicken. Turn heat to medium and add olive oil and garlic to the pan. Cook garlic until fragrant, but not brown, 1-2 minutes. Add half-and-half and turn heat down to medium-low. Simmer and reduce, about 8-10 minutes.
• Drain pasta and slice chicken on a bias.
• To the sauce, add sun-dried tomatoes, and chicken, 1/2c parmesan cheese. Stir until cheese is melted. Add hot noodles to sauce; combine. Plate and top with green onions and more parmesan cheese.
• *** Substitutions and Modifications ***.
• OPTIONS: in my usual Dolce Piquant style!
• -Sweet ripe roasted red bell peppers.
• -Balsamic Vinegar brushed over the rested chicken before slicing
• -Crushed red pepper flakes.
• Also pairs well with
• -Hearty robust herb marinara sauces, classic spinach pesto sauces, angel hair, spaghetti or penne pasta.
• SUBTITUTES:
• HALF-AND HALF: substitute every 1 cup Half/Half with 4-1/2 teaspoons soft melted butter plus 1 cup whole milk, blend well.
• ONION: 1 small fresh onion = 1/3 cup freshly minced onion (fresh will not sear like a powder spice; flakes) 1/3 cup freshly minced onion = 1 tablespoon dried onion flakes, 1 tablespoon dried onion flakes = 1 teaspoon onion powder.
• OLIVE OIL: if trading for EVOO, use care cooking, it's lower smoking point will not survive high heat.
• TABLE SALT: use a conservatively lesser amount (Kosher flakes/granules tend to be larger; so by volume, 1 teaspoon Kosher contains less crystals and minerals than table salt. Kosher salt provides a desired salty flavor without as much sodium as table salt).
• http://www.switcheroo.com/Salt.html#kosher, http://www.livestrong.com/article/531609-does-kosher-salt-have-less-sodium/.