This evening I was wanting to make something that I had never made before. We ended up with this really great Italian dinner. Even Peter Pumpkin sat there saying, “this is really good and I even like the asparagus”. Will wonders never cease. He is not a huge fan of mushrooms or asparagus and so for him to ask for seconds made me so proud. It was so easy and actually a great dish for serving company during the holidays. Plus…it was pretty. A dear friend of mine, Reny gave me this dish years ago and it is still one of my favorites to serve Italian food.

Ingredients:
2 tables unsalted butter
1 tables olive oil
2 chicken breast, chopped into 1″ pieces
1/2 chopped sweet white onion, diced
8 oz fresh mushrooms
1 bunch of fresh asparagus (about 10-12), trimming and using just the tips.
2 cloves garlic or 1 teas garlic powder
1-2 cups bottled Alfredo Sauce (I used Classico Extra Creamy Alfredo)
1 cup pasta water
salt and pepper to taste.

3 cups cooked spaghetti (I used angel hair pasta)
1/2 cup fresh parmesan cheese, shredded
Fresh chopped parsley (opt)

Heat oil and butter in a large skillet. Add chopped onion and raw chicken pieces and fry until chicken is almost done. Add the cleaned mushrooms to skillet along with the asparagus tips. Add garlic and salt and pepper to mixture. Stir, cooking over medium heat until chicken is well cooked and mushrooms, onions and asparagus is beginning to get tender. Add the Alfredo sauce. Turn down heat to low and continue to cook while you cook the pasta. When pasta is done, and before draining, add 1 cup of the pasta water to the chicken mixture. Lightly grease a a baking dish with oil or butter. Place the cooked pasta in the baking dish and pour the chicken Alfredo mixture over the pasta. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese over the mixture and bake in preheated 350 oven for about 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce is beginning to bubble. Serve with garlic bread and salad.