Chicken Garden Pasta Bowls

To marinate and prepare the chicken:

Combine the grapeseed oil, black pepper, sea salt, chopped thyme, lemon zest, lemon juice and garlic powder in a bowl and whisk to blend. Pour marinade into a gallon Ziplock storage bag. Add the chicken breasts into the bag and seal. Place bag in the refrigerator overnight (or at least 30 minutes for quick marinade).

When ready to cook it, preheat your grill to medium high or preheat the oven to 425 F. Remove chicken from the marinade and place on prepared grill (or you an bake at 425 F for 30 minutes). Grill chicken over gas or charcoal until lightly browned on both side. Cook times will vary depending on grill temperature and chicken thickness but should average around 5-6 minutes per side. Chop cooked chicken into bite size pieces and set aside.

Prepare the 8 ounces of wagon wheel pasta (or your favorite pasta variety) according to package directions. Rinse and drain pasta and set aside while preparing the cream sauce and vegetables.

To prepare the garlic cream sauce and vegetables:

In a large skillet melt the butter with the oil over medium heat. Add the fresh garlic and saute for a minute. Next add the cornstarch and blend with a wire whisk for a minute. Slowly add the chicken broth and the half-and-half and continue to whisk over medium heat until mixture starts to thicken. Add the grilled cut up chicken to the sauce along with the Parmesan cheese and basil.

Stir over medium heat until cheese is melted, then add the tomatoes and asparagus spear tips. Cook another minute or two. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Then serve the garden sauce in pasta bowls over hot prepared noodles. Garnish each bowl with chopped parsley, fresh grated Romano cheese and some lemon zest if desired.