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Chicken Mozzarella Pasta Recipe

Chicken Mozzarella Pasta Recipe
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★★★★★

5.2 from 9 reviews

This Chicken Mozzarella Pasta is a deliciously creamy and flavorful Italian-inspired dish featuring tender chicken tenderloins, sun-dried tomatoes, and rich mozzarella cheese tossed with perfectly cooked penne pasta. The sauce combines half-and-half and mozzarella for a luscious texture, enhanced with garlic, basil, and a hint of red pepper flakes for a gentle kick. Perfect for a comforting weeknight dinner or impressing guests with hearty, scratch-made pasta.

Ingredients

Scale

Pasta

  • 8 oz penne pasta

Chicken and Seasonings

  • 1 lb chicken tenderloins, sliced
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp paprika

Sauce

  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 oz sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cup half-and-half (or 1/2 cup cream + 1/2 cup milk)
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1 tbsp dried basil
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
  • 1/4 tsp salt (plus more to taste)
  • 1/2 cup reserved pasta cooking water

Instructions

  1. Cook Pasta: Cook the penne pasta al dente according to the package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining the pasta.
  2. Season Chicken: Season the sliced chicken tenderloins evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon paprika.
  3. Sauté Garlic and Sun-Dried Tomatoes: In a skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic and chopped sun-dried tomatoes and sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant. Remove the sun-dried tomatoes from the skillet and set aside.
  4. Cook Chicken: In the same skillet, increase heat to high and sear the seasoned chicken for 1-2 minutes per side until lightly browned and cooked through. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
  5. Make Sauce: Reduce heat to medium-low and add the half-and-half (or cream and milk mixture) to the skillet. Bring to a gentle simmer, then remove from heat and whisk in the shredded mozzarella cheese until the sauce becomes smooth and creamy.
  6. Combine Ingredients: Add the dried basil, red pepper flakes, cooked pasta, sun-dried tomatoes, and chicken back into the skillet. Toss everything to coat well in the creamy mozzarella and tomato sauce.
  7. Adjust Sauce Consistency and Season: If the sauce is too thick, add a few splashes of the reserved pasta cooking water to thin it out to your desired consistency. Season with additional salt and red pepper flakes to taste.
  8. Serve: Optionally garnish with fresh basil leaves. Serve immediately while hot and enjoy the rich, creamy flavors of this sun-dried tomato chicken mozzarella pasta.

Notes

  • Reserve pasta water to help loosen the sauce if it becomes too thick.
  • Use fresh basil as a garnish for added freshness and color.
  • Adjust red pepper flakes to control the level of spiciness.
  • Half-and-half can be substituted with cream and milk mixture for a similar creamy effect.
  • Chicken tenderloins cook quickly; avoid overcooking to keep them tender.
  • If sun-dried tomatoes are very dry, soak in warm water for 10 minutes before chopping for softer texture.

Nutrition

Keywords: chicken mozzarella pasta, sun-dried tomato pasta, creamy chicken pasta, Italian pasta recipe, weeknight dinner

Find it online: https://cheframiflavor.com/chicken-mozzarella-pasta-recipe/