Description
Delicious and creamy Tomato Pasta with Chicken, featuring a rich mozzarella sauce infused with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and basil. This comforting pasta dish is quick to prepare, using tender chicken breast and penne pasta, finished with a hint of red pepper flakes for a slight kick.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Sauce and Chicken
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 oz sun-dried tomatoes (drained from oil)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (from sun-dried tomato jar)
- 1 lb chicken breast tenderloins, sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1 cup half and half (or 1/2 cup heavy cream + 1/2 cup milk)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (pre-shredded, not fresh)
- 1 tablespoon basil
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (to taste)
For the Pasta
- 8 oz penne pasta (use gluten free brown rice pasta for gluten free option)
- 1/2 cup reserved cooked pasta water (plus more if needed)
Instructions
- Sauté garlic and sun-dried tomatoes: In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil reserved from the sun-dried tomatoes jar over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and drained sun-dried tomatoes and sauté for 1 minute until the garlic becomes fragrant.
- Remove sun-dried tomatoes: Take out the sun-dried tomatoes from the skillet, leaving the olive oil behind for cooking the chicken.
- Cook chicken: Season the sliced chicken breast with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon paprika. Add them to the hot skillet with the reserved olive oil and cook on high heat for 1 minute on each side until cooked through. Remove from heat.
- Cook pasta: Meanwhile, cook the penne pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining.
- Prepare sauce base: Slice the removed sun-dried tomatoes into smaller pieces and return them to the skillet with the cooked chicken.
- Make creamy sauce: Add the half and half and shredded mozzarella cheese to the skillet. Bring to a gentle boil while stirring constantly.
- Simmer sauce: Immediately reduce heat to a simmer and continue to stir until all the mozzarella cheese melts and the sauce becomes creamy.
- Combine pasta and sauce: Add the cooked and drained penne pasta into the skillet with the creamy sauce and stir well to coat the pasta evenly.
- Add herbs and spices: Mix in 1 tablespoon of basil and at least 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the pasta. Stir to combine all flavors.
- Adjust sauce consistency: If the sauce is too thick, gradually add reserved pasta water about 1/2 cup at a time to thin the sauce to your desired consistency. Be cautious not to add all at once.
- Final seasoning: Taste the dish and season with additional salt and red pepper flakes as preferred. Let the pasta simmer on low heat for a couple of minutes to allow flavors to meld.
- Serve: Once the flavors are balanced and the sauce has thickened to your liking, remove from heat and serve warm.
Notes
- Substitute half and half with 1/2 cup heavy cream and 1/2 cup milk if preferred.
- For a gluten free version, use gluten free brown rice penne pasta.
- Use pre-shredded mozzarella to ensure better melting and consistency in the sauce rather than fresh mozzarella.
- Reserve pasta water to adjust the creaminess and thin out the sauce when needed.
- Salt gradually to enhance flavors without overpowering the dish.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: Tomato pasta, chicken pasta, creamy mozzarella sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, quick dinner, Italian pasta recipe
