Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta

I made this Friday night; it is from Paula Deen's magazine. It was easy to make. I thought it was pretty good. I really liked the pasta sauce. I would use more thyme on the chicken next time - it cut it down since I was using dried herbs.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta

1 cup panko
3/4 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/4-inch thickness
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup olive oil

Creamy Cheesy Pasta (recipe below)

In a shallow dish, combine breadcrumbs, thyme, salt, and pepper; set aside.

Brush both sides of chicken breasts with mustard. Dredge chicken in breadcrumb mixture.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add chicken, and cook for 4 minutes. Add remaining olive oil to skillet, turn chicken, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Place chicken on a cutting board; let rest for 5 minutes. Cut chicken crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices.

Spoon Creamy Cheesy Pasta onto serving plates. Place sliced chicken over pasta. Garnish with fresh thyme, if desired.

Creamy Cheesy Pasta

2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup chopped deli ham
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup shredded Gruyère cheese
3 cups hot cooked fettuccini pasta

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and ham; cook for 2 minutes. Add flour, salt, and pepper; cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Gradually stir in half-and-half. Cook, stirring frequently, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Add cheese, stirring until melted. Add hot cooked pasta to pan, tossing gently to coat with sauce.

http://www.pauladeenmagazine.com/recipe_results.php?id=1638