Balsamic Chicken Pasta

You can never have too many chicken recipes.  You can never have too many pasta recipes.  That makes this supper a double do.  It is a quick and simple week night meal that sounds like it is for the grown up palate, but because balsamic vinegar has a sweetness to it, this a kid-friendly dish too.  Like I say, if it can't be thrown in the washer, ran through the dishwasher or eaten by children it will not survive in my house! 

Balsamic Chicken Pasta

Ingredients

3 Tbsp. butter

1-1/2 lb. chicken breasts

salt and pepper

bell peppers (I chopped up 1 red, 1 green and 1 yellow and used half and froze half)

1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbsp. flour

2 c. chicken broth

1/4 c. + 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

2 tsp. minced thyme

1/4 c. grated parmesan

linguine or noodle of choice

Directions

Chop the chicken into bite sized pieces (I do this with scissors) and dry with paper towels.  Season with salt and pepper.

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat and add the chicken.  Cook the chicken, stirring occasionally, until cooked through.

While the chicken is cooking, get your peppers ready.

I cut mine into slices and then cut the slices in half.

Once the chicken is done, transfer it to a plate.

Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in the now empty skillet,

and throw in the peppers.

Stir them around and let them get a little browned.  Then add in the pepper flakes and garlic.  Cook about 1 minute, until the garlic becomes fragrant.

Add in the flour,

and stir it around.  Cook it about 2 minutes, this will cook out the floury taste but  it will still retain it's thickening power.

Stir in the chicken broth and 1/4 c. balsamic vinegar.  Heat to boiling and turn down to simmer until thick (this should only take about 5 minutes).

Add chicken back in with any juices on the plate along with the thyme,

parmesan,

and the remaining tablespoon of vinegar. I also added a pat of butter (don't judge me like you would Paula Dean).  Heat this through (it takes like a minute).

Serve over pasta, topped with a sprinkle of parmesan.