I love baked pasta – a combination of two favorites… pasta and melted cheese. This recipe is made with oven roasted chicken, but it would be great with leftover meatballs, sauteed shrimp, or just by itself.
Baked Penne Pasta with Roasted Chicken in Tomato Cream Sauce serves 4-6 1 pound of penne pasta 1 pound of chicken, breast 2 tablespoons of olive oil 3 cloves of garlic 1 – 16oz. can of crushed tomatoes 1/3 cup of heavy cream 1 teaspoon of sea salt 1 teaspoon of sugar 1 tablespoon of fresh basil 8 ounces of fresh mozzarella Heat oven to 400 degrees. On a baking sheet, coat chicken breast with olive oil, and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake chicken for 20 minutes, or until cooked through – it will vary depending on size and thickness. Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of salted water for 3 minutes less than package instructions. In a large saute pan, saute garlic on medium-low in olive oil for 1-2 minutes. Be careful not to burn it! Add in crushed tomatoes, sugar and salt. Simmer for 10 minutes. When chicken is cooked through, cut it into 1 inch chunks and add it to the sauce. Add pasta and fresh basil. Toss and coat. Divide into individual oven-safe bowls and top with mozzarella cheese. Bake at 400 for 5-8 minutes until the cheese has melted.