Description
Creamy pasta with chicken, sun‑dried tomatoes, garlic and parmesan in a sauce so good it might make you propose.
Ingredients
- 10 oz penne pasta (or other pasta), cooked al dente
- 1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite‑sized pieces
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp butter
- 2‑3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp all‑purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup sun‑dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
- 1 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning (or mixed dried herbs)
- Fresh basil, chopped, for garnish
- Optional: spinach (a couple handfuls) for a green touch
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper.
- In a large skillet over medium‑high heat, heat the olive oil. Add the chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, about 6‑8 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.
- In the same skillet, melt butter. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant (about 30 seconds to 1 minute).
- Sprinkle flour into the butter/garlic, stirring to form a roux, cook for about 1‑2 minutes.
- Whisk in chicken broth and heavy cream, bring to a simmer.
- Add Parmesan cheese, sun‑dried tomatoes, paprika, Italian seasoning. Season with more salt & pepper if needed. Let the sauce simmer until it thickens slightly.
- Add the cooked chicken (and spinach if using) to the sauce, stir to combine and warm through.
- Add the pasta, tossing to coat everything in the sauce.
- Serve garnished with chopped fresh basil and additional Parmesan if desired.
Notes
- You can use chicken thighs instead of breasts for more flavor.
- Use jar‑packed sun‑dried tomatoes in oil for richer taste; chop finely.
- If sauce is too thick, add a splash of broth or pasta water to loosen.
- Leftovers store well for up to 3‑4 days; reheat gently, adding a little milk or cream to rehydrate.
- For a lighter version, replace heavy cream with a mix of milk + a bit of cream, or use low‑fat dairy.
- Make gluten‑free by using GF pasta and replacing flour in roux with GF flour or cornstarch.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (≈1/6 of recipe)
- Calories: 646 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 962 mg
- Fat: 31 g
- Saturated Fat: 17 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 51 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 41 g
- Cholesterol: 145 mg
