Chicken and Spring Vegetable Alfredo

Spring has sprung.  With dandelions, thunderstorms, and big giant rainbows! As I was sitting on the couch last night I caught a glimpse of the rainbow and dashed outside.  Little did I know it was probably the biggest rainbow I've ever seen; a complete arch from one end to the other, with a tiny double rainbow on either end. So then I had to stand in the middle of the street to take pictures.  The neighbors were probably laughing at me, Dustin definitely was.

Spring has sprung in our dinners too! Vegetables and lemon flavors galore. Dinner last night combined a creamy sauce, juicy chicken, and delicious bright spring vegetables.  Asparagus, leeks, and peas are pretty much my favorite vegetables, and I love being able to use them all at once.  Combined with chicken, pasta, and Alfredo this pasta dish was warm, filling, and full of spring flavors.

I love Alfredo sauce, but hate when everything is drenched in it. The Alfredo sauce here is bright with the addition of lemon zest and lots of pepper, and it gently coats the pasta and vegetables.  It's more of a supporting sauce for the vegetables, and it really brings out their flavors.  The chicken and spring vegetable Alfredo was a great spring dinner.

Chicken and Spring Vegetable Alfredo

author: Happy Food Happy Home

serves: 2-3--can easily double

2 chicken breasts, cubed into bite size pieces

salt and pepper

2 big glugs olive oil

½ pound of asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 leek, thinly sliced

½ cup peas

½ pound pasta

1 cup heavy cream

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon lemon zest

¾ cup parmesan cheese

salt and a lot of pepper

green onions or chives for topping

1. Heat olive oil in a high sided skillet or dutch oven over medium heat. 
2. Salt and pepper the chicken cubes.  Add to the dutch oven and cook until browned and cooked through. Remove to a plate or bowl.
3. Rinse the sliced leek thoroughly to remove any grit.  Add the leek to the dutch oven and soften.  Add extra oil if needed.  Remove pot from heat.
4. Blanch the asparagus in salted water for 2-3 minutes until crisp tender.
5. Start cooking the pasta in salted water.
6. Prepare the sauce.  Heat cream over medium heat until slightly thickened-about 5 minutes.
7. Add lemon zest, a generous amount of pepper, and a pinch of salt.
8. Add the parmesan cheese and butter and stir the sauce until it is smooth.
9. In the dutch oven with the leeks combine the chicken, drained pasta, peas, asparagus, and sauce.  Heat for about 5 minutes until the peas are cooked and everything is warmed through.
10. Serve in bowls topped with more parmesan cheese and chopped green onions. 

What delicious spring foods are you cooking?  Are you as obsessed with asparagus as I am? Please say yes...