Jenny Craig Recipe Creation: Cacio e Pepe with Asparagus

Special thanks to Jenny Craig for their sponsorship of this post.

Confession: I got the inspiration for this recipe from following a reality star’s social Instastories during quarantine.  One of the couples had shared that they made a white cheddar macaroni and cheese “cacio e pepe” style by adding a ton of black pepper.

I’ll be honest:  That just sounded awesome, considering it evolved from simple macaroni and cheese.  I thought I’d give it a shot with a creamy Jenny Craig dish – – the Classic Chicken Carbonara – – and see if it took on the same flavor profile.

The secret to this dish is definitely in the black pepper.  This recipe doesn’t just call for a shake or two of black pepper, but a 1/2 teaspoon of that magic (more or less, depending upon how much spiciness you enjoy.)

Enjoy this fun twist on the carbonara, y’all!

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Jenny Craig Recipe Creation: Cacio e Pepe with Asparagus | No Thanks to Cake

Cacio e Pepe is a classic Italian pasta dish known for its simplicity. Cheese and Black Pepper are the key ingredients. For this recipe creation, we add a hefty amount of black pepper to the Jenny Craig Classic Chicken Carbonara to recreate those flavors.

Ingredients

• 1 pkg. Jenny Craig Classic Chicken Carbonara
• 4 spears asparagus, diced
• 2 Tbsp. red onion, diced
• 1 tsp. garlic, minced
• cooking spray
• ½-¾ tsp. black pepper
• salt

Instructions

• Cook your pasta per the packaging directions and set aside.
• In a skillet prepared with cooking spray, saute your asparagus, garlic, and onion on medium heat until the onions are tender. Salt lightly. Note: I like to dice my asparagus and cook it al dente in the skillet. This seems to add a nice crunch to any dish (plus all those delicious nutrients!)
• Remove your skillet from the heat, and add the pasta and black pepper. Stir quickly to combine. Note: Start with ½ tsp. of black pepper, and add more to your liking, based upon your tolerance for spice. If you prefer less kick, you can even go down to ¼ tsp.
• Move to your favorite bowl, and enjoy!

Notes

This recipe was created in partnership with Jenny Craig.

Click here to see a full listing of my Jenny Craig Recipe Creations!

Disclaimer:  This post is sponsored by Jenny Craig; however, all of the opinions and comments about the program are exclusively my own and do not necessarily represent that of the brand.