Southwest Chicken with Red Pepper Sauce

SW chicken over rice pasta

The hubby loves this recipe, but making it has so many dishes that after he washed for me one weekend, he didn't ask for it again.
Now when we make it, we double the Red Pepper Sauce recipe and freeze it. Since it is snow pea season from our garden, we are making it often.
We use rice pasta or spiralized zucchini.
For the meat eater(s) we serve the grilled chicken over the pasta with Red Pepper Sauce and lightly steamed snow pea pods.

beans over rice pasta

beans over spiralized zucchini

For the vegan(s) in our home, we serve it with 1.5 cups of black beans (or 1 can drained) heated with 1 tsp of the southwest rub usually over the spiralized zucchini (to reduce the liquid released from the zucchini pat dry with a paper towel) with Red Pepper Sauce and lightly steamed snow pea pods. The beans make 3 servings.

We use Emeril's Southwest rub

Ingredients
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon dried oregano
combine and store in an airtight jar

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/emerils-southwest-seasoning-recipe.html?oc=linkback

We rub 2 TBS on the chicken breast and first thing in the morning and set aside until time to grill for dinner.

The Red Pepper Sauce recipe is http://recipes.aarp.org/recipes/ed-giobbis-sweet-red-pepper-sauce-for-pasta

Yield: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 2 very red, unblemished sweet red peppers, about ½ pound
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups coarsely chopped onions
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• ½ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
• 1 cup chicken stock
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• ¼ cup chopped basil
• 1 pound cooked pasta
• Grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Cut the peppers lengthwise in half. Scrape away and discard the stems, veins and seeds. Chop the peppers coarsely. There should be about 2 cups.

2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the peppers. Cook, stirring, about 5 minutes. Add the onions, garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, 2 minutes longer. Add the stock, salt and pepper. Cover and cook 15 minutes.

3. Ladle the sauce into the container of a food processor and blend thoroughly. Return the mixture to the saucepan and bring to the boil. Cook about 2 minutes and stir in the basil. Serve with 1 pound pasta cooked to the desired degree of doneness. Serve the cheese on the side.