Brewers Blackened Chicken and Creole Cream

This is the top-selling menu item at Brewer's Downtown Cafe in Milledgeville, Georgia - a smallish town south east of Atlanta.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1  teaspoon dried thyme
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  ground red pepper
• 2  tablespoons paprika
• 5  tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1  tablespoon  chopped garlic
• 1⁄4 cup  chopped green onion
• 1⁄4 cup  chicken stock
• 1 1⁄2 cups heavy cream
• 1⁄2 cup  grated parmesan cheese
• 4  cups  dry rigatoni pasta, cooked and drained well
• 2 (6 ounce)  boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in half and pounded to 1/4-inch thickness
• 1⁄4 cup  finely diced red and yellow bell pepper
• 4  sprigs cilantro

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine salt, thyme, ground red pepper and paprika. Set aside.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and brown lightly. Add half the dry seasoning mixture, the green onion and chicken stock. Reduce by half (about 2 minutes). Stir in cream and let sauce come to a boil. When it boils, whisk in Parmesan cheese.
3. Reduce heat and let simmer on low to reduce about 2 to 3 minutes. Add cooked rigatoni and toss to completely coat pasta with sauce.
4. Brush tops of chicken breasts with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Gently pat with remaining dry seasoning mix.
5. Place 2 tablespoons olive oil in saute pan over medium heat. When oil is hot, place chicken in pan, seasoned side down, and cook 2 minutes. Turn and cook 2 minutes more. Remove to a cutting board and slice.
6. Divide rigatoni among pasta bowls. Place chicken strips evenly across each. Garnish with diced red and yellow bell peppers and a sprig of cilantro.