Ingredients (~6 servings)
- ~2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 3/4 cup chicken stock
- 1 1/2 tsp chicken flavor “Better Than Bouillon”
- 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 (7-ounce) jar sun-dried tomatoes, drained and roughly chopped
- 1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 3/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 3/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
- 1 lb penne pasta
Season and Brown the Chicken
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season all over with 1 1/2 tsp of the salt.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is glistening, add the chicken and cook until browned all over, ~10-12 minutes.
The chicken doesn’t need to be cooked through at this point – you’re just getting color on it.
Transfer to a plate.
Build the Cream Sauce
To the same skillet, add the garlic and cook until fragrant, ~30 seconds.
Stir in the heavy cream, chicken stock, bouillon, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, pepper, 1/2 tsp of the red pepper flakes if using, and remaining 1/2 tsp salt.
Return the chicken to the skillet and bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low.
Cook until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches ~165F, ~5-8 more minutes.
Cook the Pasta and Combine
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
Cook the pasta until al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1/3 cup of the pasta water before draining.
Add the drained pasta to the sauce along with the reserved pasta water and toss to combine.
The starchy pasta water helps the sauce cling to the noodles better.
Serve topped with the basil, remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, and remaining 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes if using.
Marry Me Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
Ingredients (~6 servings)
- ~2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 3/4 cup chicken stock
- 1 1/2 tsp chicken flavor “Better Than Bouillon”
- 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 jar sun-dried tomatoes 7-ounce, drained and roughly chopped
- 1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 3/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 3/4 tsp red pepper flakes optional
- 1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
- 1 lb penne pasta
Instructions
- Pat chicken dry and season with salt.
- Brown chicken in olive oil over medium heat for 10-12 minutes.
- Remove chicken and sauté garlic briefly.
- Add cream, stock, bouillon, Parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes, seasonings to skillet.
- Return chicken to sauce and simmer until chicken reaches 165F, 5-8 minutes.
- Boil pasta in salted water until al dente.
- Reserve 1/3 cup pasta water before draining.
- Add pasta and reserved water to sauce, tossing to combine.
- Top with fresh basil, remaining Parmesan, and optional red pepper flakes.
