Penne with Balsamic Chicken and Asparagus

Have you ever looked in your pantry and wondered how the heck you could use up the rest of something? That’s exactly what I thought when I saw a bottle of this…

Balsamic Vinegar.

I bought it last year when a recipe called for a whopping tablespoon of it.

So, with a little bit of Google-ing (is that even a word?), I was able to find a recipe that tastes as good as it sounds!

Introducing… Penne with Balsamic Chicken and Asparagus. I found this recipe on the Six Sisters’ Blog and adapted it to what I had on hand and our taste preferences. It was really easy to make and it made for a perfect well-rounded meal. Protein packed chicken, whole grains, and veggies: what more could you ask for in a meal?

Ingredients:

Approx. 1 lb. chicken breast, cooked and cut up

12 oz. whole grain/wheat penne

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. black pepper

½ cup balsamic vinegar

½ teaspoon brown sugar

¼ cup margarine or butter

1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

8 oz. frozen Asparagus spears (I used Pictsweet Steam’ables)

 

Directions:

Put the vinegar in a small saucepan. Simmer until there are about 3 tablespoons remaining. Stir in the brown sugar and pepper. Remove from the heat.

Cook the asparagus as directed on the package. Cut spears into 1-inch pieces.

Cook the penne in a large pot of salted water and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain the pasta. In a mixing bowl, combine pasta, chicken, asparagus, butter, vinegar, Parmesan, and salt.

Feel free to top it with additional Parmesan.

Enjoy!