Grilled Chicken Penne Alfredo

Alfredo Sauce was something that took me quite a few tries to get right.  It is something I would order any time I saw it on the menu at a restaurant, but it is one of the few things I didn’t prefer ‘homemade’.  That is until I found Emeril Lagasse’s alfredo sauce recipe which used a shallot instead of garlic.  I had never had a shallot before and around here, garlic is one of our favorite ingredients…. If a recipe calls for 1 clove of garlic, I automatically multiply that by 3.  My breath smells amazing.  😉 But, low and behold, the alfredo sauce made with shallots was the best alfredo sauce I’d ever had, and now I don’t order it from restaurants any more because this fabulous recipe has RUINED any other alfredo sauce for me.  ha.  We love to have this for at home date nights.  When the stars are aligned and I have fed the kids an early dinner of PB&Js or pizza rolls (Ya’ll know you do it sometimes too)

Grilled Chicken Penne Alfredo
Ingredients
marinated and grilled chicken breast (we love this, this or this marinade)
16 oz penne pasta, cooked al dente
6 TBSP unsalted butter
1 shallot, minced
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup grated parmesan, (the kind in the green can)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
parsley for garnish
Directions
Cook the penne in a pot of boiling, salted water until al dente.  Drain in a colander but reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water.  While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat.  Add shallots and saute until tender.  Add heavy cream and bring to a boil.  Reduce to medium and cook, stirring often, until sauce has reduced slightly, about 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat and add the parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and the reserved cooking liquid, stir.  Add in the pasta and stir.  Plate the pasta with the sliced chicken breast on top.  Garnish with parsley! ENJOY!