Over the last week, I’ve really had an inkling for
cooking and baking, so when I came across this recipe for Baked Penne with Chicken
and Sun-Dried Tomatoes, I thought I’d give it a go for dinner.
I just received this beautiful Pyrex Baking Dish with Shell Lid from Arthur Court, so it was the perfect time for trying out
this Martha Stewart pasta casserole recipe.
It’s basically a creamy, cheesy, and utterly delicious
sauce that whips up easily on the stove, and then you just add cooked chicken, mushrooms,
and sun-dried tomatoes. Pop it in the oven, and let it cook for 25 minutes or so.
My family was head over heels about it, and one
of my sons even rated it as a 10 out 10 in terms of taste out of all the pasta
dishes I make, and I make a lot!
And even though pasta and cheese are out of my dietary
realm, I couldn't help but have two tiny little bites, and I’m telling you…
it was AH-mazing!
It’s not that hard to make, either. In fact,
this recipe is enough to make two 3-quart casseroles.
I halved the recipe, so I
only made one, but next time I’ll be sure to make the whole recipe and freeze
the extra one or bring it to a friend.
Baked Penne with Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
A recipe from Martha Stewart
6 tablespoons butter,
plus more for baking dishes
Coarse salt and ground
pepper
1 pound penne rigate
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 boneless, skinless
chicken breast halves (8 ounces each), halved horizontally
1/2 cup plus 2
tablespoons all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
4 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups whole milk
10 ounces white
mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
1/2 cup oil-packed
sun-dried tomatoes, drained and thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups shredded
provolone (6 ounces)
1 cup finely grated
Parmesan (4 ounces)
Step 1
Preheat
oven to 400. Butter two shallow 2-quart baking dishes. In a large pot of
boiling salted water, cook pasta 3 minutes short of al dente; drain pasta, and
return to pot.
Step
2
In a
large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Season chicken with salt and
pepper; cook until opaque throughout, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Halve each piece
lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise.
Step
3
In a
5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, melt butter over medium. Add flour and garlic;
cook, whisking, 1 minute. While whisking, gradually add milk; bring to a
simmer, whisking frequently. Add mushrooms and tomatoes; cook 1 minute. Off
heat, gradually stir in provolone and 1/2 cup Parmesan.
Step
4
Add
chicken and pasta to pot; season with salt and pepper. Divide pasta mixture
between baking dishes; sprinkle each with 1/4 cup Parmesan.
Step 5
Bake,
uncovered, until top is golden and bubbling, about 25 minutes. Let stand 5
minutes before serving.
I garnished this with fresh cherry tomatoes that I cut in half and a few little sprigs of basil.
In addition to the Chicken & Penne dish, I
also prepared a little antipasto of Cherry Tomato Bruschetta, Marinated Mini
Mozzarella, and Marinated Olives, served with Italian breadsticks.
Can we talk about this gorgeous 3-Bowl Clam Server? Isn’t it so cute for summer? This is one of three beautiful coastal
themed items I recently got from Arthur Court.
I’m calling this trio my “Summer Entertaining
Essentials”. I’ll share the third piece with you very soon. It’s called the Oyster with Pearl Chip and Dip, and it’s just as pretty as these two serving pieces I’m
sharing with you here today.
Now here’s the lowdown on the antipasti:
Cherry Tomato Bruschetta – Place halved cherry tomatoes in a bowl and generously drizzle with olive oil. Add a clove or two of
minced garlic, chopped basil and finish off with salt and pepper.
Marinated Mini Mozzarella- Mozzarella balls
can be enhanced with the addition of a little bit of olive oil, salt, pepper, and
herbs. I used a little rosemary, thyme and oregano on these. Be sure to drain the mozzarella first.
Marinated Olives – Bottled Greek,
Italian or Spanish olives are the best to use for this. Drain all the liquid from
the olives and then add flavorings of your choice. I used olive oil, ground
fennel seeds, chopped oregano, minced garlic and little bit of lemon zest.
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