Ryan’s Penne and Chicken in Tomato Cream Sauce

Ryan's Penne and Chicken in Tomato Cream SauceOur son-in-law, Ryan, cooked this for us the other day, and it’s delicious!  Our daughter found the recipe at kevinandamanda.com.  Which, it turns out, got it from the Pioneer Woman’s blog.  There’s a reason why it’s been done a few times, and that’s because IT’S DELICIOUS! Have I mentioned that it’s delicious?  I’m not sure that the pictures do it justice, so you’ll just have to trust me until you try it for yourself. … It’s delicious.

You can cook the chicken on the grill, but since I live in Las Vegas, and today, the outside temperature is roughly about the same as the surface of the sun, I sauteed it in my nice cool kitchen.  

It turned out great!  The chicken is moist and flavorful, and the sauce is rich and savory. … Plus, it’s a fairly simple meal to make.  So, here you go.Ryan's Penne and Chicken in Tomato Cream Sauce

Ryan's Penne and Chicken in Tomato Cream Sauce
Serves 4
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
30 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
30 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  2. Montreal Steak seasoning
  3. 12 ounces penne pasta
  4. 2 tablespoons butter
  5. 2 tablespoons olive oil
  6. 2 cloves garlic, minced
  7. 1 cup chicken broth
  8. 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
  9. 2 cups heavy cream
  10. Salt and pepper to taste
  11. 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
  12. 1 tablespoon fresh, chopped basil leaves
Instructions
  1. Place chicken breasts in a zipper bag, and pound to even thickness. Season both sides with Montreal Steak seasoning.
  2. Preheat grill to medium high heat, lightly oil grate, and grill chicken breasts on medium high for 6-8 minutes per side. OR ~ Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken breasts and cook 5 minutes per side. Set chicken aside.
  3. In a large skillet (if you used one to cook the chicken, you can use it for this... no washing necessary.) over medium heat, melt remaining(1 tablespoon) butter with remaining (1 tablespoon) olive oil. Add minced garlic, and cook,stirring frequently, until tender (about 1 minute). Don't let it burn. Add chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, and allow to reduce by half. Stir in tomato sauce and cream, and season with salt and pepper. Allow to simmer on low heat until pasta is ready.
  4. In a large pot, boil water with 1 tablespoon salt. Add penne pasta noodles, and boil according to package directions. Drain, and add to sauce. Sprinkle with fresh chopped basil and parsley.
  5. Slice chicken and serve on a bed of sauce and noodles.
Adapted from kevinandamanda.com
Adapted from kevinandamanda.com
White Apron Blog http://whiteapronblog.com/
Wash and trim 1 pound of chicken breasts. Two halves were exactly 1 pound.

Wash and trim 1 pound of chicken breasts. Two halves were exactly 1 pound.

Place them inside a zippered bag, squeeze out all the air, and seal. Then pound them with the smooth side of a mallet until they're all the same thickness. I did mine to about 1/2 inch.

Place them inside a zippered bag, squeeze out all the air, and seal. Then pound them with the smooth side of a mallet until they’re all the same thickness. I did mine to about 1/2 inch.

Season both sides with Montreal Steak Seasoning. That's right, Montreal STEAK Seasoning, not chicken.

Season both sides with Montreal Steak Seasoning. That’s right, Montreal STEAK Seasoning, not chicken.

If you're sauteing them, in a large skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoon butter 2 tablespoon olive oil

If you’re sauteing them, in a large skillet over medium heat, melt
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil

Add chicken breasts and cook 5 minutes per side. ~ OR ~ Preheat grill to medium high heat, lightly oil grate, and grill chicken breasts on medium high for 6-8 minutes per side.

Add chicken breasts and cook 5 minutes per side. ~ OR ~ Preheat grill to medium high heat, lightly oil grate, and grill chicken breasts on medium high for 6-8 minutes per side.

Set chicken aside and loosely cover with foil.

Set chicken aside and loosely cover with foil.

Fill a large pot with 3 quarts of water 1 tablespoon salt Bring to a boil.

Fill a large pot with
3 quarts of water
1 tablespoon salt
Bring to a boil.

Add 12 ounces pasta Cook according to package directions (approximately 11 minutes).

Add
12 ounces pasta
Cook according to package directions (approximately 11 minutes).

While the pasta boils, in a large skillet over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons olive oil Add 2 cloves minced garlic Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, but do not let the garlic turn brown (about 1 minute).

While the pasta boils, in a large skillet over medium heat, heat remaining
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
Add
2 cloves minced garlic
Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, but do not let the garlic turn brown (about 1 minute).

Add 1 cup chicken broth Bring to a boil.

Add
1 cup chicken broth
Bring to a boil.

Allow to reduce by half. It's important to let it cook down, or the sauce will be too runny.

Allow to reduce by half. It’s important to let it cook down, or the sauce will be too runny.

Once the broth has reduced, stir in 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce.

Once the broth has reduced, stir in
1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce.

Add 2 cups heavy cream Stir well to combine.

Add
2 cups heavy cream
Stir well to combine.

Season with salt and pepper to taste, and turn heat to low.

Season with salt and pepper to taste, and turn heat to low.

Drain the pasta as soon as it's cooked, and ...

Drain the pasta as soon as it’s cooked, and …

... add it to the sauce.

… add it to the sauce.

Finely chop fresh basil and parsley. Here's how: Basil ~ stack the leaves on top of eachother, tightly roll into a tube, and thinly slice. Parsley ~ hold the bunch together as close as you can, and chop off the leaves.

Finely chop fresh basil and parsley. Here’s how:
Basil ~ stack the leaves on top of eachother, tightly roll into a tube, and thinly slice.
Parsley ~ hold the bunch together as close as you can, and chop off the leaves.

Sprinkle on top of pasta and sauce, and stir to combine.

Sprinkle on top of pasta and sauce, and stir to combine.

Thinly slice chicken breasts, and ...

Thinly slice chicken breasts, and …

... layer on top of pasta. Sprinkle with more fresh herbs, and ...

… layer on top of pasta. Sprinkle with more fresh herbs, and …

... serve immediately.

… serve immediately.

Ryan's Penne and Chicken in Tomato Cream Sauce