I have been a little bit obsessed with this scallion cream sauce since I first had it in college. If you’ve ever been to Amerigo, you might have tried it, too. It’s one of the options available for the chicken Margarite. (I don’t know who Margarite is, either. I feel like the name is made up.)

So when Zack and I went to Huntsville, Alabama, recently and found ourselves at an urgent care clinic, I noticed the Amerigo a few doors down straightaway. Why were we at an urgent care, you ask? Because one of us is required to get sick every time we go out of town. It’s a rule.

And then, of course, I convinced Zack to tell the clinic we would use the pharmacy in the grocery store next to the clinic. Convenient, right? Well … not so much. See, we went to the clinic around 8. And that pharmacy opened around 11. I swear to you that at least half the decisions I make to increase efficiency in my life instead make things far less convenient.

Does that happen to you? I hope it doesn’t. But I also hope I’m not the only one.

At any rate, when I went to pick up the medicine at 11, I was told that it wouldn’t be ready for about another hour. And that’s how I found myself ordering takeout from Amerigo that day. Obviously, I ordered that scallion cream sauce over chicken and angel hair pasta. I hadn’t had it in years. The taste took me back. It was delicious.

But this time, I had years of cooking under my belt. (Literally. Figuratively. Let’s not judge, people.) So my second thought was, “I bet I could make this.”

And I was off on a quest. Unfortunately, scallion cream sauce appears to be one of those Amerigo-only dishes. Or perhaps everyone else considers it so easy that it’s not worth making a recipe for. Either way, I couldn’t find any sort of copycat recipe out there that even attempted to replicate it.

Gentle reader, you know what I did. I made up my own. And y’all, I loved it just as much at home as I had at the restaurant. Maybe more, even, because it enabled me to get rid of the bag of Parmesan that has been languishing in my freezer lo these many moons.

It’s essentially a traditional Alfredo with scallions added. (I know. I am creative.) That means it won’t reheat very well, but if your family is like mine, it really won’t need to. It’ll go quickly.

CHICKEN AND PASTA WITH SCALLION CREAM SAUCE

Ingredients:
1-2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken (thighs or thinly sliced breast)
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1-2 tablespoons neutral oil
1 pound pasta (I recommend angel hair, but any will do)
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons butter (optional)
1 cup shredded Parmesan (do not use shaky cheese here. It will not melt, and your dish will taste like it came from the Sad Cafe.)
1/2 bunch scallions, sliced as thinly as possible

Directions:
■ First, start a large pot of salted water to boil. (“Salty like the sea,” as they say.) While the water heats, place your largest skillet over medium heat. Season both sides of the chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika. Add oil to the pan. Place chicken into the pan and allow it to cook without moving until you see browning on the bottom side, about five to seven minutes.
■ Flip chicken and cook through on the other side. You do want the chicken to be fully cooked here, so either use a meat thermometer to check for an internal temperature of 165 degrees or cut open the thickest piece to be sure it’s not pink inside. (I recommend the meat thermometer. I used to cut open almost every single piece of chicken to check for doneness, and it all ended up pretty dry.)
■ Remove chicken to a plate. If you used thighs, pour off most of the grease that accumulated in the pan. (If you used breast, this probably will not be necessary.)
■ To the same pan, add the cream. Use a spoon or spatula to warm the cream over low-medium heat, scraping up any seasonings or browned bits that stuck to the pan.
■ Add sliced scallions to the cream.
■ When cream is hot but not boiling, add Parmesan and butter. Melt both, stirring frequently. Taste sauce and add salt and pepper if desired.
■ Turn heat to the lowest setting to keep warm while you finish up any other meal tasks, such as finishing the pasta or sides. Sauce will thicken upon standing.
■ To reheat – if you have any leftovers – heat gently on low heat or 50% microwave power for best results.

Amelia Plair is a mom and high school teacher in Starkville. Email reaches her at [email protected].

Amelia Plair is a Starkville resident who writes occasional food columns.