Creamy Chicken Mozzarella Pasta

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cloves of garlic minced
• 4 oz sun-dried tomatoes
• 2 tbsp olive oil reserved from sun-dried tomatoes
• 1 lb chicken breast tenderloins sliced
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp paprika
• 1 cup half and half or ½ cup heavy cream + ½ cup milk
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese not fresh mozzarella
• 8 oz penne pasta gluten-free option available
• 1 tbsp basil
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
• ½ cup reserved cooked pasta water or more
• ¼ tsp salt to taste

How To Make Creamy Chicken Mozzarella Pasta

1. In a large skillet, sauté garlic and sun-dried tomatoes (drained from oil) in 2 tablespoons of reserved olive oil from sun-dried tomatoes jar for 1 minute on medium heat until garlic is fragrant.
2. Remove the sun-dried tomatoes from the skillet and leave the olive oil.
3. Add sliced chicken (seasoned with salt and paprika) and cook on high heat for 1 minute on each side. Remove from heat.
4. Cook pasta according to package instructions, reserving some cooked pasta water. Drain the pasta.
5. Slice sun-dried tomatoes into smaller pieces and add them back to the skillet with chicken.
6. To make creamy pasta sauce, add half-and-half and shredded mozzarella cheese to the skillet, and bring to a gentle boil. Immediately reduce to simmer and cook, constantly stirring, until all cheese melts and creamy sauce forms.
7. Add cooked and drained pasta to the skillet with the cream sauce, and stir to combine.
8. Add 1 tablespoon of basil and at least ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Stir to combine.
9. 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, as you might need less or more of it.
10. 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.