Baked Cheesy Chicken Penne

I love the site Real Mom Kitchen and that is where I found this fantastic recipe!

It is creamy, but not too heavy and is just perfect with a little salad and some bread.

I don't use sun-dried tomatoes all that often, but I was excited to try them out in this and they made a great flavorful sauce. 

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons butter, plus more for baking dishes

kosher salt and black pepper

1 pound penne rigate 

1 teaspoon olive oil

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves , halved horizontally 

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour

6 garlic cloves, finely minced

6 cups whole milk

1 cup sliced oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained

1 1/2 cups shredded provolone (I used an italian blend that had provolone in it)

1 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan 

To make:

Preheat oven to 400. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta 3 minutes short of al dente; drain pasta and set aside.

While pasta is boiling, heat oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet.

Season chicken with salt and pepper; cook until opaque throughout, 3 to 5 minutes per side.

 Halve each piece lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise. 

In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot , melt butter over medium.

Add flour and garlic; cook, whisking, 1 minute.

 While whisking constantly, gradually add milk; bring to a simmer. 

  Keep whisking frequently as sauce thickens, about 1 minute more.

 Add  tomatoes; cook 1 minute.
Take the pan off the heat and and gradually stir in provolone and 1/2 cup Parmesan.

Add chicken and pasta to pot; season with salt and pepper to taste.
Sprinkle cheese on top.

Bake, uncovered, until top is golden and bubbling, about 25 minutes.
Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Source:  Real Mom Kitchen.com