Creamy Chicken Penne
Creamy Chicken Penne is one of my favorite go-to recipes of all-time y’all! Not only is it delicious, but it’s BEYOND EASY!!! Meet your new favorite weeknight dinner meal.
Okay, now let’s unpack what makes this pasta so DELICIOUS:
Creamy Vodka Sauce + mascarpone cheese + freshly chopped Italian parsley = AKA the BEST pasta sauce (I could basically eat it with a spoon by itself haha)! 😉
Penne pasta is PERFECT for this recipe. I feel like penne absorbs the sauce really well and holds some inside of each noodle. So with every single bite, you are getting a mouthful of flavor!
Mixing in grilled chicken breasts adds a great amount of protein and saltiness to the dish.
Baking the pasta is ABSOLUTELY KEY! You’ll finish it off by sprinkling shredded mozzarella cheese & red pepper chili flakes over the top.
Now for what makes this recipe super EASY:
Creamy Vodka Sauce - this store-bought pasta sauce from Whole Foods is AMAZINGGG and makes this recipe super easy! 🥫I'm also obsessed with Whole Foods 2-hour FREE DELIVERY! If you haven't tried it out yet, I would highly recommend it.
Italian Parsley - fresh herbs are one of the easiest things you can add to a dish to make it BURST with flavor. 🌿
Grilled Chicken Breasts - my husband doesn’t have a lot of time to grill during the week due to residency, but most weekends he will grill a ton of extra chicken breasts that we can use for leftovers during the week! This makes my job 10x easier -- I LOVE having grilled chicken breasts on hand for pasta, soups, enchiladas, or quesadillas. 🤗
Cannot wait for y'all to make this for your friends & family! Enjoy!!
Creamy Chicken Penne
Yields 6-8 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20-25 minutes
INGREDIENTS
16 ounces penne pasta
2 grilled chicken breast, heated & cut into cubes
1 (25 ounce) jar Creamy Vodka Sauce
8 ounces mascarpone cheese
¼ cup freshly chopped Italian parsley
1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Red pepper flakes (optional)
NOTES
Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
*If you don’t have a Le Creuset dutch oven feel free to cook the pasta in a regular pot & bake in a 13×9 inch baking dish.
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INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Cook the penne pasta according to the package directions in a Le Creuset dutch oven.
While the pasta is cooking whisk together the Creamy Vodka Sauce and mascarpone cheese with a whisk until completely combined. Stir in the chopped Italian parsley and set aside.
Once the pasta is done cooking, drain it in a strainer. Place the cooked penne back into the Le Creuset dutch oven and pour the Vodka sauce on top, using a spatula to scrape down the sides.
Stir the sauce & pasta until it is completely coated.
Add the cubed chicken breast and fold until combined.
Sprinkle 1 ½ cups of mozzarella cheese over the top.
Bake for 20-25 minutes.
Garnish with fresh parsley and red pepper chili flakes (optional).
Serve immediately.