Ingredients:

  • 1.5 lb chicken breast, sliced into thin cutlets
  • 1 tsp Kosher salt
  • 0.5 tsp cracked black pepper
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 0.5 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, chopped
  • 2 tbsp reserved oil from sun-dried tomatoes
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 small shallot, finely diced
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 0.5 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup fresh baby spinach
  • 12 oz dry penne pasta
  • 0.5 cup reserved pasta water

Instructions:

  1. Boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water until it is 2 minutes shy of al dente. Drain, reserving at least 0.5 cup of the starchy pasta water.
  2. Season the chicken breast with salt, pepper, and oregano. Heat the reserved sun-dried tomato oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken until a golden-mahogany crust forms. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside.
  3. Lower the heat to medium. In the same skillet, sauté the diced shallots and chopped sun-dried tomatoes until the shallots are translucent. Stir in the minced garlic, tomato paste, and red pepper flakes, cooking for 60 seconds until fragrant.
  4. Deglaze the skillet with chicken broth, scraping up the browned bits (fond) from the bottom. Whisk in the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer.
  5. Stir in the Parmesan cheese until melted. Add the baby spinach and allow it to wilt into the sauce. Return the chicken to the pan along with the cooked pasta.
  6. Toss everything together, adding the reserved pasta water 1 tablespoon at a time until the sauce reaches a velvety, stable emulsion that coats the pasta.