This creamy pasta is a delicious dinner and leftovers work perfectly for a thermos lunchbox meal the next day!
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
INGREDIENTS
- 8 ounces penne pasta
- 4 oz jar sundried tomatoes in oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 pound chicken breasts, cubed
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Spanish paprika
- 1 cup half and half, heavy cream, or whole milk
- 1 tablespoon dried basil or ¼ cup fresh basil or 1 tablespoon pesto sauce
- 1–2 tablespoons olive oil, for cooking
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a large pot, bring pasta water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions.
- Once cooked, reserve 1 cup of pasta water and drain. Set the pasta aside.
- While the pasta cooks, on a cutting board, finely chop sun-dried tomatoes.
- Season chicken with salt and paprika.
- In a large 10-12 inch skillet over medium heat, heat up some oil and sauté chicken until it’s browned on all sides and cooked through.
- Add sun-dried tomato pieces and garlic, and sauté for an additional minute.
- Add half and half to the skillet.
- Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally to combine liquid and sun-dried tomatoes.
- Once a thick sauce is formed, add dried basil (or pesto sauce). If you are using fresh basil, add it in the last step.
- Add cooked pasta to the skillet and combine with sauce.
- Add 1/2 cup reserved water, mix throughout to thin out the sauce. If it’s too thick, add in additional reserved pasta water.
- Top with additional basil and Parmesan cheese prior to serving.