Penne with Chicken, Arugula & Roasted Tomatoes
Ingredients & Directions
(from epicurious)
- 1 12 oz container of grape or cherry tomatoes
- 2 T olive oil
- 5 large garlic cloves, chopped
- 3/4 tsp dried crushed red pepper
- Chicken breast cut up into small bite sized chunks (approx. 3 breasts)
- 8 oz penne pasta
- 6 C arugula leaves
- 1/4 C Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Mix the grape tomatoes, oil, garlic, and crushed red pepper on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until tomatoes are soft and beginning to brown in spots, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Transfer tomato mixture, including any juices, from sheet to large skillet. Add chicken to skillet and simmer until chicken is cooked about 8-10 minutes. I probably should have cooked the chicken a little first so the tomatoes would remain more together, so you can do that if you want. The original recipe also says you can use chicken from one of those already roasted chickens to save some time.
Transfer tomato mixture, including any juices, from sheet to large skillet. Add chicken to skillet and simmer until chicken is cooked about 8-10 minutes. I probably should have cooked the chicken a little first so the tomatoes would remain more together, so you can do that if you want. The original recipe also says you can use chicken from one of those already roasted chickens to save some time.
Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until it’s al dente. Ladle out 1/4 cup pasta cooking water and set aside. Drain pasta; return to pot.
Add pasta, arugula, and 1/4 pasta water to the chicken tomato mixture. Cook over medium heat just until arugula begins to wilt, about 30 seconds. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.
I served it with some simple crescent rolls from a can. You know those Pillsbury dough ones. I also had left over rolls the next day and ate them for breakfast with some raspberry jam from Stonewall Kitchen (my favorite!).
(Steven)
