Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Chicken and Mozzarella

Introduction

Looking for a delicious and easy-to-make dinner that combines the rich flavors of sun-dried tomatoes, tender chicken, and creamy mozzarella? Look no further! This Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Chicken and Mozzarella is the perfect dish to satisfy your cravings and impress your family and friends. It’s a delightful mix of savory and creamy that will leave everyone asking for seconds.

Ingredients

• 3 garlic cloves, minced 🧄
• 4 oz sun-dried tomatoes 🌞🍅
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 🫒
• 1 lb chicken breast tenderloins, sliced 🍗
• ¼ teaspoon salt 🧂
• ¼ teaspoon paprika 🌶️
• 1 cup half and half (or use ½ cup heavy cream + ½ cup milk) 🥛
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded (do not use fresh Mozzarella, use pre-shredded Mozzarella) 🧀
• 8 oz penne pasta (for gluten-free, use gluten-free brown rice pasta) 🍝
• 1 tablespoon basil 🌿
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes 🌶️
• ½ cup reserved cooked pasta water or more 💧
• ¼ teaspoon salt to taste 🧂

Directions

1. Sauté Garlic and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
   • In a large skillet, sauté 3 minced garlic cloves and 4 oz of sun-dried tomatoes (drained from oil) in 2 tablespoons of olive oil (reserved from the sun-dried tomatoes jar) for 1 minute on medium heat until the garlic is fragrant. 🍳
2. Remove Sun-Dried Tomatoes
   • Remove the sun-dried tomatoes from the skillet, leaving the olive oil. 🌞
3. Cook Chicken
   • Add 1 lb of sliced chicken (salted and lightly covered in ¼ teaspoon of paprika for color) and cook on high heat for 1 minute on each side. Remove from heat. 🔥
4. Cook Pasta
   • Cook 8 oz of penne pasta according to package instructions. Reserve some cooked pasta water. Drain the pasta. 🍝
5. Slice Sun-Dried Tomatoes
   • Slice the sun-dried tomatoes into smaller pieces and add them back to the skillet with the chicken. 🍅
6. Make Creamy Pasta Sauce
   • To make the creamy pasta sauce, add 1 cup of half-and-half (see substitution for half-and-half in the Recipe Notes section below) and 1 cup of shredded Mozzarella cheese to the skillet, and bring to a gentle boil. 🥘
7. Simmer Sauce
   • Immediately reduce to simmer and cook, constantly stirring, until all the cheese melts and a creamy sauce forms. 🍶
8. Combine Pasta and Sauce
   • Add the cooked and drained pasta to the skillet with the cream sauce, and stir to combine. 🍲
9. Season and Add Herbs
   • Add 1 tablespoon of basil, and at least ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Stir to combine. 🌿
10. Adjust Sauce Consistency
    • If the creamy sauce is too thick, add about ½ cup of reserved cooked pasta water to the skillet to thin it out. Do not add all the pasta water at once—you might need less or more of it. 💧
11. Final Seasoning
    • Season the chicken pasta with salt and more red pepper flakes, to taste, if needed. Let it simmer for a couple of minutes for flavors to combine. 🌶️

Recipe Notes

• Half-and-Half Substitution: If you don’t have half-and-half, you can use ½ cup heavy cream and ½ cup milk as a substitute.

Conclusion

This Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Chicken and Mozzarella is a delightful and satisfying dish that’s perfect for any occasion. The combination of tender chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and creamy mozzarella will make it a favorite in your household. Enjoy this easy and delicious recipe with your loved ones!

Let us know how your pasta turned out and share your photos on social media with #SunDriedTomatoPasta. Happy cooking!

Nutritional Information (per serving)

• Calories: 450 kcal
• Protein: 25g
• Carbohydrates: 40g
• Fat: 20g
• Serving Size: 4

Enjoy your meal!

Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Chicken and Mozzarella

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• Author: Dulcia

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Ingredients

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3 garlic cloves, minced 🧄
4 oz sun-dried tomatoes 🌞🍅
2 tablespoons olive oil 🫒
1 lb chicken breast tenderloins, sliced 🍗
¼ teaspoon salt 🧂
¼ teaspoon paprika 🌶️
1 cup half and half (or use ½ cup heavy cream + ½ cup milk) 🥛
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded (do not use fresh Mozzarella, use pre-shredded Mozzarella) 🧀
8 oz penne pasta (for gluten free, use gluten free brown rice pasta) 🍝
1 tablespoon basil 🌿
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes 🌶️
½ cup reserved cooked pasta water or more 💧
¼ teaspoon salt to taste 🧂

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Instructions

1️⃣ In a large skillet, sauté garlic and sun-dried tomatoes (drained from oil) in 2 tablespoons of olive oil (reserved from the sun-dried tomatoes jar) for 1 minute on medium heat until the garlic is fragrant. 🍳

2️⃣ Remove the sun-dried tomatoes from the skillet, leaving the olive oil. 🌞

3️⃣ Add sliced chicken (salted and lightly covered in paprika for color) and cook on high heat for 1 minute on each side. Remove from heat. 🔥

4️⃣ Cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve some cooked pasta water. Drain the pasta. 🍝

5️⃣ Slice sun-dried tomatoes into smaller pieces and add them back to the skillet with chicken. 🍅

6️⃣ To make creamy pasta sauce, add half-and-half (see substitution for half-and-half in the Recipe Notes section below) and Mozzarella cheese to the skillet, and bring to a gentle boil. 🥘

7️⃣ Immediately reduce to simmer and cook, constantly stirring, until all cheese melts and creamy sauce forms. 🍶

8️⃣ Add cooked and drained pasta to the skillet with the cream sauce, and stir to combine. 🍲

9️⃣ Add 1 tablespoon of basil, and at least ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Stir to combine. 🌿

🔟 If the creamy sauce is too thick: Add about ½ cup of reserved cooked pasta water to the skillet to thin it out. Do not add all of the pasta water at once – you might need less or more of it. 💧

1️⃣1️⃣ Season the chicken pasta with salt and more red pepper flakes, to taste, if needed. Let it simmer for a couple of minutes for flavors to combine. 🌶️