Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta
Blog: www.nextinlime.com
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 8 ounces (230 g) pasta - uncooked, I prefer penne
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¾ teapsoon crushed red pepper flakes - adjust quantity to spice preference
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1.25 teaspoons salt - regular table salt
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil - any neutral kind you prefer
- 4 cloves garlic - chopped, not minced
- 1 pound (500 g) chicken breasts - skinless, boneless, cut into bite-sized pieces
- ¾ cup sundried tomatoes - drained, chopped, measured after chopping (Note A)
- 4 ounces (115 g) cream cheese - cut into pieces for quick melting
- ½ cup (120 ml) heavy/whipping cream - unsweetend
- ½ teaspoon chicken bouillon paste - powder, granules and cubes also work
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
Instructions
- Have all ingredients prepped and ready before you start cooking. Tip: Use the checkboxes next to each ingredient to track your prep.
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Follow the package instructions to cook pasta until it's al dente (has a little bite). Drain and set aside.
- Make the seasoning mix by combining ground black pepper, white pepper, onion powder, crushed red pepper flakes, dried oregano and salt in a bowl. Set it aside.
- Heat cooking oil in a large skillet/pan (preferably non-stick) over medium-high heat. Add chopped garlic and saute for 1 minute. It should start to get very light golden. Don't let it burn.
- Next add chicken pieces and saute until the chicken changes color and is no longer pink. Cook for 1 more minute after that.
- Add ½ cup chopped sundried tomatoes (reserve the rest for later) and saute for 1 minute.
- Turn the heat down to medium-low, wait for a minute so the temperature of the food comes down a bit. Then add cream cheese, heavy cream, chicken bouillon, and the seasoning mix you prepared earlier.
- Also add ½ cup of water. Mix until the cream cheese melts. Cover the pan/skillet and bring to a simmer. Adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer until the chicken is fully cooked through. The sauce may split if the simmering is vigorous. If your sauce gets too thick by the time the chicken is cooked, mix in some more water.
- Add cooked pasta, chopped basil and the remaining ¼ cup of chopped sundried tomatoes.
- Gently mix everything together. Let the pasta warm up for a minute or two, and serve immediately. I like to top it off with some extra basil and chili flakes (or freshly cracked black pepper). If you try this recipe, I'd love to hear how it turned out in your kitchen. Leave your rating and comment below.
Notes
Note A: Sundried Tomatoes – Use the sun-dried tomatoes that come in oil, not the dry bagged ones. I haven’t tried those, so can’t say how the dish will turn out.