Penne with Grilled Chicken, Spinach & Cherry Tomatoes in a Lemon Parmesan Sauce

While everyone else is posting about burgers and brats, I'm sharing a pasta recipe - aren't you so glad?!  Yes, I love love love classic summer food, but sometimes I need a big bowl of comforting pasta in the summer, too.  I just can't help it.  This recipe is the sort of summer comfort food that I love on days when we're worn and torn, and hot, and sometimes I just want to sit in the air conditioning and have a giant bowl of pasta : )   I can't imagine I'm the only one.

At least once a week I come up with some sort of chicken (or shrimp) pasta - usually with a mixture of similar ingredients.  Every once in a while, I land on one that is the perfect mix of everything and is really worth sharing... like I did last night.   

The grilled chicken gives it an automatic fresher taste (there's your summer plug!) and you can load it up with more tomatoes and spinach if you're going for a lighter feel.  Maybe this is actually a great summer recipe.

Penne Pasta with
Grilled Chicken

1 pound of Chicken
1 tablespoon of olive oil
sea salt & cracked pepper
....
1 box (pound) of penne pasta
....
1/2 stick of butter
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
4 cups of fresh spinach
1/2 lemon, squeezed
1/2 cup of cream
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1/4 cup of parmesan cheese

For chicken, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Grill on a medium-hot grill for 5-6 minutes on each side until cooked through.  Set aside.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil.  Season with salt.  Cook penne according to directions.  Give a quick rinse with cold water... I know, I will get some resistance from this, but I think the sauce gets just a little too goopy if the pasta is not rinsed.  You can use your personal preference!

For the sauce, melt butter in a large saute pan.  Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.  Add tomatoes and spinach and cook for 1 minutes.  Add lemon juice and cream.  Cook for 3 minutes until it begins to simmer.  

Lower heat and add cooked pasta.  

Slice chicken and add to the pasta. 

Add parmesan cheese and toss together.  Serve with more parmesan cheese on top.