Sun-dried tomatoes are usually a hit or miss for me, but seeing as I haven’t tried them in some time, I thought I would see if my taste buds have changed. If, you are adamantly against sun-dried tomatoes, here are some other ingredients you can use as a replacement, thanks to Recipe Marker.
Hopefully, you’re not getting tired of my pasta recipes! I know, I know- I make pasta quite often. What can I say? I simply love pasta and how versatile it is. I’m also trying to incorporate more greens into my diet, and spinach is my absolute favorite. So, this all leads to making this recipe.
Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Chicken and Spinach Pasta
Ingredients
- 8oz jar oil included, sun-dried tomatoes
- 1lb (boneless skinless) chicken breasts, cubed
- 4 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon paprika or smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp or less red pepper flakes (omit these completely if you don’t want any heat)
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsps salted butter
- 1 small onion (or shallot), chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 4 cups approx. Penne (or your preferred short cut pasta)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1 lemon, juiced
For a healthier version that is a bit lighter, you can tweak the recipe to your liking. For example, don’t use heavy cream. Instead, you can use one of these substitutes.
Instructions
Drain approx. 3 tablespoons of oil from the sun-dried tomato jar into a large pot. Chop the sun-dried tomatoes and set them aside.
Over medium-high heat, add the chicken, a dash of Italian seasoning, the paprika, and a bit of the red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup parmesan (we love cheese in our family), cook for a bit longer, and then remove the chicken from the pot.
Add the butter, onion, garlic, and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning to the pot. Cook for approx. 3- 4 minutes. Add 3 1/2 cups water. Bring this to a boil, add the pasta, and cook, stirring often, until the pasta is al dente, approx. 8 minutes.
Stir in the cream, mustard, parmesan, spinach, and roughly chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Add the chicken and its juices. This is, of course, up to you and your taste preferences. You may want to omit the mustard if you’re not a fan of it. There are many ways to play with this dish to make it your own.
You can serve the pasta with added lemon juice to brighten the dish and add a bit of a punch to it. Top with parmesan cheese if desired, too!
What recipes do you make with sun-dried tomatoes? Please let me know so I can add it to my “To Try” list! For now, I’m looking at ideas from BBC Goodfood and their Brie Burgers are sounding awfully good right now. Hmm, I may have to try that next time!
See Also:
How To: Choose the Right Pasta Cut
