This is one of the most requested pasta dishes when I make pasta for dinner… Pasta with Chicken, Sun Dried Tomatoes and Garlic. I make this two ways, with Chicken Basil Sausage that I buy at Sprouts, or this recipe that replicates the sausage flavor. Either way, it’s fast and just the bowl of pasta comfort you need. It’s all in here – every mouthwatering bite is garlicky and savory. It’s your new go to pasta, easy and on the table in about 30 minutes. Nothing better than that!
I’ve included step by step of the garlic and sun dried tomato sauce. It’s very easy, but it helps to see the process. So here goes!
Let’s start the pasta water, make sure you salt it well because we will be using a little bit of pasta water to finish the sauce. For this dish, I recommend Rigatoni, Penne, or any other type of tubular pasta. For today I used DeLallo Tortiglioni. Save 1/2-1 cup of pasta water to finish the sauce.
Pasta with Chicken, Sun Dried Tomatoes and Garlic – STep by step
For this recipe’s flavor, ground chicken works the best. The reason being is that the smaller pieces of chicken work so that you get all the flavor in every single bite. I’ve used chopped chicken breast, but it’s not the same. I recommend sticking with ground chicken.
Start with 8 cloves of garlic, seems like a lot but it all works out in the end to balance the flavors. I pulse the garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. Once chopped, remove from food processor and set aside. Then add the whole jar of sun dried tomatoes (with the oil they are packed in) to the food processor. Pulse until the tomatoes become finely chopped. Be careful not to overdue it – it just takes a few whirls in the food processor. Once you have done this, you are ready to start the sauce.
Bringing this flavorful pasta all together
Add 1/2 cup olive oil to a large skillet. Add garlic. Once it starts sizzling, cook garlic for about 3 minutes making sure you don’t burn the garlic. Add sun dried tomatoes. Combine well and sauté for about 3 minutes. Now add the ground chicken, salt, pepper, dried basil and crushed red pepper. Break up pieces with a spatula or spoon and continue to sauté until the chicken is fully cooked. Once thoroughly cooked, add 1/2 cup of shredded or grated parmesan cheese, cooked pasta and 1/2 cup of pasta water. Add chopped parsley and toss until the pasta is evenly coated with this yummy sauce.
Garlic in food processor Finely chopped garlic Sun dried tomatoes with oil Finely chopped tomatoes Cooking garlic Adding the sun dried tomatoes Adding the ground chicken Adding salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, basil and cooking until done. Add pasta Add cheese Combine. Add pasta water and parsley. Toss and serve.
Now you are ready to serve this beauty with extra parmesan and parsley on top. It’s the BEST!!
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Pasta with Chicken Sun Dried Tomatoes and Garlic
Equipment
- large skillet
- pot to cook pasta
- food processor
Ingredients
For Pasta
- 1 lb pasta tube shape, Rigatoni, Penne
- 2 pinch salt be generous
For sauce
- 1 lb chicken ground
- 1 8.5 oz sun dried tomatoes in oil
- 8 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup olive oil extra virgin
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese shredded or grated
- 1/2 cup parsley, Italian chopped
- 2 tsp salt kosher
- 1 tsp pepper ground
- 1/2 tsp red pepper crushed
- 1/2 tsp basil dried
- 1/2 cup pasta water
Instructions
For Pasta
- Start your water with two good pinches of salt.
- Cook pasta to package instructions.
- Save 1/2 – 1 cup of pasta water.
For Sauce
- Pulse the garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. Remove from processor bowl and set aside.
- Now add the whole jar of sun dried tomatoes (with the oil they are packed in) to the food processor. Pulse until the tomatoes become finely chopped. Remove from processor bowl and set aside.
- Add 1/2 cup olive oil to a large skillet. Add garlic. Once it starts sizzling, cook garlic for about 3 minutes making sure you don't burn the garlic.
- Add sun dried tomatoes. Combine well and sauté for about 3 minutes.
- Now add the ground chicken, salt, pepper, dried basil and crushed red pepper. Break up pieces with a spatula or spoon and continue to sauté until the chicken is fully cooked.
- Once thoroughly cooked, add 1/2 cup of shredded or grated parmesan cheese, cooked pasta and 1/2 cup of pasta water.
- Add chopped parsley and toss until the pasta is evenly coated with this yummy sauce.
- Top with extra cheese before serving. (optional)
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated online and should be used as a guide.
All content and photographs ©Claudia’s Table and claudiastable.com
Looking for another weeknight pasta dinner? Try our Quick Weeknight Baked Pasta or for a fabulous decadent pasta dish, try my Rich Ragú Bolognese Sauce with Tagliatelle.
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