Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta

Tuscan Chicken Pasta is one of my family's favorite meals. We love the creaminess along with the sweet-tart sundried tomatoes and lucious herbs in this meal. It goes really well with a side of garlic parmesan breadsticks too! This is what you'll need for 4 servings:

Photo byJulia

Ingredients:

• 2 large chicken breasts sliced lengthwise
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• Flour for dredging
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 cup chicken broth or dry white wine
• 1 heaping teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups (loosely packed) fresh baby spinach
• 2 garlic cloves , minced
• 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil chopped
• 8 oz penne pasta
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese , shredded

Prepare a medium pot of lightly salted water for the pasta. Once it begins to boil, add in the pasta and give it a quick stir to break up.

As the pasta is cooking, slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise and season both sides with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Lightly coat the chicken in flour.

In a skillet, melt the butter and oil over medium-high heat. Once heated, add the chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

In the same skillet, saute minced garlic and the sun-dried tomatoes in 1 Tbl olive oil (from the tomato jar) for about 1 minute. Deglaze with chicken broth and Dijon mustard, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it simmer for 1-2 minutes.

Stir in the cream and spinach, and return the chicken to the pan. Allow the chicken to cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until fully cooked and the sauce has slightly thickened. Add in the mozzarella and simmer, stirring constantly, until cheese is melted and sauce is thickened.

Add the fresh basil and adjust seasoning with extra salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately over cooked pasta. Enjoy!