Cavatappi With Basil and Chicken Cream Sauce

This is based off a red pepper cream sauce recipe, sans red pepper flakes. After I make that again (I haven't made it in awhile) I'll post it in its entirety. Actually, believe it or not, being the gourmand I am, I was craving the basil cream sauce from none other than Pizza Port at Disneyland. I will say, their basil cream sauce with cavatappi is fantastic! Truly so. Anyway, this recipe still needs some tweaking, but, as is, it's pretty good and will satisfy me tonight.

• Ready In: 20 mins
• Serves: 2
• Yields: 2

Ingredients

• 2  tablespoons butter (or butter substitute)
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons flour (I used just over 2 tonight for an extra-creamy sauce)
• 1  cup milk
• 1  teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
• 1⁄2 cup  good parmigiano-reggiano cheese (good cheese can really make a difference, look for "Parma" on the rind if you buy it in a block)
• 1⁄4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper (to taste)
• 2 -4  tablespoons  freshly chopped basil
• 1  dash garlic powder
• 1⁄2 cup  shredded roasted chicken (I buy the rotisserie chickens from the market. This step is optional.)
• 1 1⁄2 cups  dried cavatappi pasta

Directions

1. If putting this over pasta, start your water boiling first, and add pasta when water comes to a boil.
2. Melt the butter.
3. Add flour and cook to make light roux.
4. Stir in milk, salt, pepper, parmigiano-reggiano, garlic powder, chicken, and basil over low-med heat.
5. Cook until creamy and thick, or to the consistency you like. I find that I have to turn the heat down to low as the sauce begins to come together.