Grilled Chicken and Veggies with Penne in a Roasted Garlic Cream Sauce

Aaaah it's just about summertime and that means grilled veggies, lots of grilled meats, and fresh herbs straight out of the pots on my deck (one of these days I'll get around to making an actual herb and vegetable garden in the yard... maybe). Although I love grilling, I also still like to have sauces for my meat, or a saucy side. So when I saw this recipe for Penne with Chicken and Veggies in a Roasted Garlic Cream Sauce, I knew I would change it to a grilled chicken and vegetable recipe.

The original recipe is from the blog Sunny Side Up In San Diego. My version of the recipe is below and includes the following changes - I used zucchini and red peppers as my veggies, I marinated and grilled the chicken, and I used basil instead of parsley as garnish. At the last minute I added whole cloves of roasted garlic to the finished dish because I just love when I order a pasta dish in a restaurant and come across a whole clove of garlic!

Ingredients (for 2 people)

• 2 boneless chicken breasts
• Marinade: I used 1/3 c olive oil, 1 tsp white balsamic, and a blend of dried herbs (Italian seasoning, thyme, oregano, basil)
• 12 oz penne, cooked
• 1 zucchini, sliced in half lengthwise
• 1 red pepper, cut into large pieces for grilling
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 onion, diced
• 2 bulbs of roasted garlic (cut top off, drizzle with olive oil, wrap in foil, roast in a 400 degree oven for 35 minutes until soft then remove cloves from paper by squeezing them out)
• 1.5 c of light cream or whole milk
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/2 c shredded Parmesan cheese
• Basil for garnish (chiffonade)

Directions

• Marinate the chicken for a few hours. Heat grill to 400 degrees. Grill chicken until cooked through (internal temperature of 170). Let rest until ready to slice.
• Drizzle the zucchini and pepper with olive oil and season with a touch of salt and pepper. Grill the zucchini and peppers until cooked; slice and set aside.
• Heat olive oil in a large saute pan. Add onion, saute 3-4 minutes.
• Add garlic from one bulb and mash with a fork.
• Mix cream/milk with cornstarch and add to the pan. Whisk to incorporate the garlic, and bring to a slow simmer for a few minutes.
• Lower heat and add cheese; whisk.
• Add pasta and veggies.
• Plate the pasta and top with sliced chicken; garnish with basil.

This was so good because you got the sweet garlic flavor in the sauce along with the bold and almost smoky flavors from grilling the chicken and veggies all in one bite. I ate leftovers for 2 days, and my daughter even loved it! I will definitely make this one again and will try some different veggies, too.