Great for dinner and great cold as a salad the next day
Ingredients
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12 oz penne pasta or a fun ruffly one like Malfadine
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1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
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2 tbsp Arbequina olive oil, divided
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1 tsp Italian seasoning
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1⁄2 tsp each salt and pepper
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3 cloves garlic, minced
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1 shallot, finely diced
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1⁄2 jar Sun-dried Tomato Tapenade
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1⁄2 cup dry white wine
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1 1⁄2 cups heavy cream
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1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
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1⁄4 tsp red pepper flakes
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2 cups baby spinach or chopped kale
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Fresh basil leaves for garnish
Instructions
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Cook the penne in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining.
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Meanwhile, season the chicken with the Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken until browned and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
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Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil to the skillet. Sauté the garlic and shallot for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the sun-dried tomato tapenade.
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Pour in the white wine and simmer for 2 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream, Parmigiano Reggiano, and red pepper flakes. Bring the sauce to a simmer.
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Add the spinach and let it wilt into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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Add the drained pasta and cooked chicken to the sauce, tossing to coat. If needed, thin the sauce with a bit of reserved pasta water until it coats the pasta nicely.
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Serve the pasta garnished with fresh basil leaves and extra Parmigiano Reggiano cheese if desired.
Servings: 6 servings, Prep time:10minutes, Cooking time:15minutes
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