Pasta with Chicken and Sundried Tomatoes

This pasta dish actually is based on a recipe my mom made for years called Joy's Pasta.  I believe the Joy to be Regis Philbin's wife...don't ask me where in world she would have obtained this recipe, I have no idea.  I have adapted it quite a bit over the years and, in fact, I don't really think I ever make it the same way twice.  Actually that's a good thing because it is a recipe which you can easily alter to fit your likes and dislikes as well as the ingredients you happen to have available.  This current version is on the spicy side, but you can reduce the amount of hot pepper flakes or eliminate them completely. 

Begin by bringing a large pot of water to boil and cooking the rotini or bowtie or penne pasta according to the instructions on the package. When the pasta is cooked to al dente (don't overcook because it will finishing in the pan later on), drain it and set aside.

In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add sliced boneless skinless chicken breast. Season with salt and pepper and continue to sautee until cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside. Next, add some large diced onion, a couple of minced garlic cloves and a heaping teaspoon to the same pan and saute to for a few minutes. Add about 1/2 cup of broccoli florets followed by 1/4 cup sliced sun dried tomatoes packed in oil (* if you missed it, I made some oven dried balsamic glazed tomatoes just the other day and have included that recipe below), and saute for several minutes. Add the cooked chicken back into the pan with the bowtie pasta and toss all to combine well.

To the skillet, add 1/2 cup white wine, about 1/2 a carton of chicken stock and a splash of balsamic vinegar and stir to combine. Let simmer for about 10-15 minutes and serve hot with freshly grated parmesan cheese. Also, this is one of those dishes that is even better the next day.

Balsamic Glazed Oven Dried Tomatoes

plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
balsamic vinegar
olive oil
salt
pepper

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Place the tomatoes on a parchment lined baking sheet and drizzle with balsamic vinegar, olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to evenly coat each tomato. Roast in the oven for approximately 4-5 hours or until they are caramelized and dehydrated but still plump. To store, cover with olive oil, place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator.