Date night: Chicken and pasta, with a twist

Hey foodies! For this week’s cheap date theme, I am bringing you a super easy chicken recipe with a side of pasta, sure to impress any date.

Things you will need for chicken:

• 2 chicken breasts
• 2 lemons
• ¼ cup dry white wine (I recommend chardonnay or Pinot Grigio)
• ½ tsp. poultry seasoning
• 2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• ½ tsp. dill
• Salt and pepper

In a medium bowl, juice both lemons; add the white wine, thyme, poultry seasoning, dill and some salt and pepper. Then, slowly add in the olive oil, using a whisk to vigorously combine them. In a zip lock bag, pour the marinade over the chicken breasts and let them marinade in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Once you are ready to cook them, preheat the oven to 375⁰, put the chicken in an oven safe dish and bake for at least 30 minutes. You could also grill them if you have a grill and the weather is nice; this would add some good flavor to the freshness of the marinade. Hint for guys: watching you man a grill is a big turn on and it can give you and your date an opportunity to talk while you finish grilling. Once the chicken is cooked through, aka not pink in the center, you are ready to enjoy.

Things you will need for pasta:

• Leftover marinade
• 2 tbsp. butter
• ½ box bowtie pasta
• Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper

To go alongside the chicken we have a great pasta side dish, using the left over marinade. First, boil water for the pasta (I recommend bowtie for date night, but I used angel hair) and cook according to the package. While the water is boiling, put the marinade in a bowl over medium heat and bring to a boil for at least 2 minutes. Then let simmer on low. When the sauce is no longer boiling add in two tablespoons of butter and let it melt. Add salt and pepper to taste. Once the pasta is cooked and drained, pour a little of the sauce over the pasta and toss (do not drench the drench, a little will go a long way). Then toss in some parmesan cheese and enjoy. I suggest bowtie pasta because you can eat it in one bite so there is none of that slurping noodles awkwardness that can happen on a date. Note: this is a great date meal because there is no garlic or onion involved in the recipe and lemon is actually great for your breath, so no need to run for a mint right after you eat (it is date night after all). Plus, this recipe is fairly cheap and very healthy. Enjoy foodies and happy dating!

-Kelsey-