Skillet Penne with Chicken and Broccoli

This is another of our favorite dinners. It tastes like something you would have at Macaroni Grill. It is very quick to make (less than 30 minutes). I find that, because it goes together so quickly, it is better to prep all the ingredients before I start. (It also makes me feel like I am on a cooking show, where the little glass bowls have all the chopped items measured and ready to go!) This comes from "The America'sTest Kitchen Family Cookbook". I HIGHLY recommend this book. It really spells things out clearly and all the recipes have been tested over and over to come up with the best possible way to do things.

 

   Ingredients (if you make this often, I recommend buying the sun dried tomatoes at Costco in the big jar).

Yummy served with crusty sourdough bread and some fruit.

Skillet Penne with Chicken and Broccoli 

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into 1-inch pieces 

3 tablespoons butter 

1 onion, minced 

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes 

¼ teaspoon dried oregano

 3 garlic cloves, minced 

8 ounces penne pasta (2 ½ cups) 

2 ½ cups chicken broth 

½ cup heavy cream (I use whipping cream) 

1 bunch broccoli (1 ½ pounds), stems discarded and florets cuts into 1-inch pieces 

1 cup jarred sun-dried tomatoes in oil, rinsed and chopped 

1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (1/2 cup)

 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (I usually double this amount) 

 

1. Pat the chicken dry, then season with salt and pepper. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until it is lightly browned but not fully cooked, about 4 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a bowl. 

 2. Add 1 more tablespoon of the butter, onion, red pepper flakes, oregano, and ½ teaspoon salt to the skillet. (This part smells SO good!) Cook until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. 

 3. Sprinkle the penne evenly into the skillet. Pour the broth and the cream over the penne. Cover and bring to a boil, about 5 minutes. 

4. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the broccoli and sun-dried tomatoes. Cover and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the pasta begins to soften and the broccoli turns bright green, about 8 minutes. 

 5. Stir in the chicken and any accumulated juice. Cover and continue to simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 3 minutes longer. 

 6. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, the Parmesan, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.