Cider Sauteed Chicken over Pasta

This was a one-off experiment that needed to be remembered. Flavorful chicken breast, sweet onions, and tender pasta. It has all of the makings of a hearty, yet healthy meal for the family! The preferred pastas are either rotini or angel hair, as both tend to hold the delicate flavors of the sauce better. Read the recipe before cooking, as some steps are slightly out of order for ease of writing the recipe.

• Ready In: 15 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1  lb chicken breast (fat trimmed)
• 1⁄2 lb pasta (see description)
• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 1  teaspoon  Old Bay Seasoning
• 1  teaspoon garlic, chopped
• 1⁄2  vidalia onion
• 2  tablespoons pesto sauce
• 6  ounces hard apple cider
• 2  teaspoons salt
•  black pepper, fresh ground (to taste)
•  cayenne pepper, ground (optional, to taste)
•  grated parmesan cheese (to taste) or  romano cheese (to taste)

Directions

1. Put cider in a large saucepan, and bring to a simmer.
2. Cube the chicken breasts.
3. Add chicken to cider and sprinkle with 1/2 of the Old Bay.
4. Flip chicken halfway through, and sprinkle with the rest of the Old Bay.
5. While the chicken is sauteing in the cider, fill a medium sized pot with water, add salt, and bring to a boil. Also, slice the onion (once with the grain, and once again across the grain, giving you small slices.
6. Once the chicken is cooked through, drain the liquids from the saucepan, and return to medium heat (this also drains off most of the fat from the chicken breasts).
7. Add oil, garlic, and onion to the saucepan with the chicken. Keep it moving at this point - you don't want to burn the onion or garlic.
8. Add pasta to boiling water, and cook according to the directions on the box.
9. Add pesto, black pepper and (optionally) the cayenne pepper to the chicken and onion mixture. Stir so that the chicken is well coated in the pesto and other seasonings. It is important that it keeps moving so that nothing burns.
10. The chicken mixture may be done before the pasta is cooked. This is not a problem. Just turn off the heat, and allow it to remain on the stove until the pasta is done.
11. Once pasta is finished cooking, drain it and place in a medium-large bowl.
12. Add chicken mixture to pasta and toss well.
13. Top with grated cheese if desired.