Chicken Sun-Dried Tomato and Mushroom Pasta

🧂 Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts

  boneless, skinless
• 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes

  diced
• 1 leek

  green top removed, thoroughly washed and sliced
• 3 large cloves garlic

  sliced
• 8 oz. fresh mushrooms

  sliced
• 4 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/4 - 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tbsp. dried basil
• 1 tsp. paprika

  sprinkled over both sides of the chicken
• 1 tsp. Salt and pepper

  as desired
• 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
• 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese
• 12 oz. box tri-color penne

  cooked and drained
• pasta water left over from cooking pasta

Instructions

• 1 Boil penne in large stock pot until al dente.
• 2 Drain in colander; when draining, reserve pasta water.
• 3 Run cool water over noodles to prevent further cooking.
• 4 Heat a skillet to medium high heat.
• 5 Add olive oil, then leeks, garlic, mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes.
• 6 Cook a few minutes over medium to high heat until garlic is fragrant.
• 7 Remove ingredients to a plate.
• 8 Add 2 more tablespoons olive oil to the skillet.
• 9 Sprinkle both sides of chicken with salt and paprika.
• 10 Cut meat into cubes.
• 11 Sauté meat in hot olive oil for a few minutes on each side until done.
• 12 Add sun-dried tomato mixture back into skillet with cooked chicken.
• 13 Then add half-and-half and mozzarella cheese.
• 14 Stir and combine.
• 15 Cook over medium heat until cheese completely melts.
• 16 Stir in penne pasta, basil, red pepper flakes.
• 17 Check seasonings.
• 18 Add salt and pepper to taste.
• 19 Add ½ to 1 cup of reserved pasta water (or more if needed) and stir into the
  pasta mixture to help thin the sauce and make it creamier.

Nutrition Info