Chicken Pasta with Tarragon Cream Sauce

This is a favorite of mine that I picked up when I was in Belgium. Soooo good, but not that healthy for you. The tarragon adds a unique flavor, almost minty.


Ingredients:

16oz pasta (I prefer bowtie, penne, or spirals. So much easier than dealing with the long stuff.)
4 chicken breasts
8oz sliced mushrooms (Optional)
1 pint heavy whipping cream (At least)
2 cups shredded swiss or parmesan cheese
4Tbsp Margarine/Butter
Tarragon-fresh or dry
Garlic salt-to taste
Salt-to taste


Directions:


Cook pasta according to directions, drain. Cook and cube chicken, (or buy the already cooked chicken slices for convenience.) In a big saucepan melt the butter, add mushrooms, saute until tender, adding garlic salt. Add heavy cream, bring to a boil, stirring constantly to avoid burning. After cream is boiling, reduce to med-high, and start adding cheese (the swiss has a stronger flavor, so if you don't like it use parmesan) a little at a time, making sure it's melted before adding more. The sauce will thicken. You may not need both cups. Fold the chicken into the mushroom cream sauce, then add tarragon to taste-at least 2 Tbsp (for dry spices you can use less.) Put pasta back in the pot that you cooked it in over heat, add chicken mixture, stir it all up, adding more cheese or cream if necessary. Serve. You can garnish with fresh, diced tomato.


(You can play around with how soupy you want your cream sauce. I like it to be pretty thick so it sticks to everything.)