Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Chicken and Creamy Mozzarella Sauce

Step 1

In a large skillet, sauté garlic and sun-dried tomatoes (drained from oil) in 2 tablespoons of olive oil (reserved from the sun-dried tomatoes jar) for 1 minute on medium heat until the garlic is fragrant.

Step 2

Remove the sun-dried tomatoes from the skillet, leaving the olive oil.

Step 3

Add sliced chicken (salted and lightly covered in paprika for color) and cook on high heat for 1 minute on each side. Remove from heat.

Step 4

Cook pasta according to package instructions.    Reserve some cooked pasta water. Drain the pasta.

Step 5

Slice sun-dried tomatoes into smaller pieces and add them back to the skillet with chicken.

Step 6

To make creamy pasta sauce, add half-and-half (see substitution for half-and-half in the Recipe Notes section below) and Mozzarella cheese to the skillet, and bring to a gentle boil.

Step 7

Immediately reduce to simmer and cook, constantly stirring, until all cheese melts and creamy sauce forms.

Step 8

Add cooked and drained pasta to the skillet with the cream sauce, and stir to combine.

Step 9

Add 1 tablespoon of basil, and at least 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Stir to combine.

Step 10

If the creamy sauce is too thick: Add about 1/2 cup of reserved cooked pasta water to the skillet to thin it out.   Do not add all of pasta water at once - you might need less or more of it.

Step 11

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.

Step 12

Note: Make sure to salt the dish just enough to bring out of the flavors of basil and sun-dried tomatoes.