Pasta with Chicken and Pepper-Cheese Sauce

Pan-fried chicken breasts, seasoned with three types of ground pepper—red, white and black—are served with a savory cheese sauce with jalapeño and bell peppers, onion and garlic.

Recipe Ingredients:

8 ounces dry spaghetti or fettuccine
3 skinless,boneless chicken breast halves (about 8 ounces total)
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium red or green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped, seeded jalapeño pepper
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese or cheddar cheese
1/4 cup sour cream

Cooking Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, preferably al dente (firm to the bite). Drain; keep warm.
2. Rinse chicken; pat dry with paper towels. cut into 1-inch pieces. In a small mixing bowl, combine the 1 tablespoon flour, salt, red pepper, white pepper and black pepper. Toss flour mixture with chicken to coat. Set aside.
3. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. (Add more oil as necessary during cooking.) Add bell pepper, onion, chopped jalapeño pepper and garlic; cook and stir until vegetables are tender. Remove the vegetables with a slotted spoon; set aside.
4. Add chicken to skillet. Cook and stir for 4 to 5 minutes or until chicken is tender and no longer pink. Remove chicken from skillet.
5. Stir 2 tablespoons flour into drippings in skillet. Add chicken broth, milk and Worcestershire sauce. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Add the Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese, stirring until cheese melts. Stir 1 cup of the hot mixture into the sour cream; return all of the sour cream mixture to skillet. Stir in chicken and vegetables. cook until heated through. Do not boil.
6. Arrange pasta on individual plates or serving platter. Spoon the chicken mixture over pasta.

Makes 4 servings.