LAMORINDA WEEKLY | Fabulous pasta dish packed with flavor


Chicken Gorgonzola Pasta with Sun-dried Tomatoes Photo Susie Iventosch

What's not to love about pasta, especially one made with sundried tomatoes, Gorgonzola cheese, shallots and basil? These fabulous flavors all come together in this tasty and colorful dish. This recipe is one of our favorite pasta dishes because it's bursting with flavor, and it's actually pretty darn easy to make. (Bonus points for that on busy days.) We usually make it with bowtie pasta because the sauce has lots of surface area to coat. But, lately, my son Joel has been on a homemade pasta kick, and since I've yet to perfect farfalle pasta, I've been making this dish with fettuccine and have to admit, it is just as good!

I think one of the things that makes this sauce taste so good, aside from the wine and Gorgonzola, is that the chicken tenders are browned in some of the sun-dried tomato oil, which gives the chicken an extra burst of flavor. Sometimes we toss in some chopped cherry tomatoes, too, just because they are hard to resist and they go so well with these flavors.

Chicken Gorgonzola Pasta with Sun-dried Tomatoes

(Serves four)

INGREDIENTS

One 16-ounce bag bowtie pasta (farfalle), or fettuccine

8 chicken breast tenders (boneless, skinless)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/3 cup julienne cut oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes (drain and reserve tomatoes and one tablespoon oil separately)

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 medium shallots finely sliced or chopped

1/4 cup dry white wine

11/2 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup half & half

4 oz. Gorgonzola, crumbled

2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil

1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Basil sprigs for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Heat olive oil and reserved oil from sun-dried tomatoes in large skillet. Add garlic, shallots and chicken tenders and cook over medium-high heat until browned and just cooked through, about 3-5 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Remove chicken from pan, cut into bite-sized pieces and tent with foil. Keep shallots, garlic and pan drippings in the pan.

Add wine to the pan to deglaze, and cook until reduced to approximately 1-2 tablespoons. Add chicken broth and half & half and cook over medium heat until bubbly and slightly thickened, (about 5 minutes), stirring occasionally. Add sun-dried tomatoes and Gorgonzola and cook until cheese is completely melted. Add chicken back into sauce along with basil. Reduce heat to low and keep sauce warm.

Meanwhile cook pasta in large pot of boiling water until al dente. Drain pasta and toss into chicken-cheese sauce. Serve pasta on plates and sprinkle with finely grated Parmesan cheese and toasted pine nuts. Garnish plate with basil springs and serve with French bread.