"Sun-dried tomato pasta with a touch of cream, toasted pine nuts and basil is the ultimate comfort food. The sun dried tomatoes are intensely sweet and tart, while the pine nuts are buttery and smoky, and the basil is fresh and bright. Don’t forget the chicken! It’s a great weeknight pasta dinner that translates perfectly into a romantic date-night dish or weekend entertaining favorite."
Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Chicken
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- Recipe Card
Prep time: 25mins
Cook time: 30mins
Serves or Makes: 4
Recipe Card
ingredients
- 1 pound farfalle or penne pasta
- 1 pound chicken cutlets
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 8 ounce jar sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, drained and sliced
- 1/2 cup pine nuts
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus 2 TB for chicken marinade
- 1 medium sweet onion, finely chopped
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 handful of fresh basil, plus more to garnish
- 1 handful of finely grated parmesan cheese, plus more to garnish
- Salt & pepper, to taste
Method
Step 1
Toast pine nuts on a baking sheet in a 350°F oven for 3-6 minutes until golden. Set aside.
Step 2
Marinate chicken in balsamic, 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper.
Step 3
Preheat your grill over high heat. Grill your chicken cutlets 2-3 minutes per side, or until your chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 165°F. Slice chicken into bite-sized pieces. Wrap chicken in foil and place in a 170-degree oven to keep warm.
Step 4
In a large pot, sweat onion and garlic for 2-3 minutes in a ¼ cup olive oil over medium heat. Add in half-and-half, tomato paste, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir and heat over medium-low until just hot (not bubbling). Turn heat to the lowest setting when hot (to keep warm).
Step 5
Boil pasta. When al-dente, reserve ¼ cup pasta water before draining pasta.
Step 6
Add pasta, toasted pine nuts, sliced chicken, basil, sliced sun-dried tomatoes, a handful of basil, and a handful of parmesan to the cream mixture. Add a splash of pasta water and stir until combined.
Step 7
Serve right away, with more basil and parmesan to garnish.