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Hi, guys! Today I have a fantastic dish for you that is one of my family's favorites, and if it includes pasta, it's obviously one of my favorites too! This dish features penne pasta swimming in a garlic parmesan cream sauce laced with fresh spinach and diced tomatoes, then topped with an Italian seasoned, sautéed chicken breast. Sprinkle on some extra parmesan and you've got a dish that will wow everyone!

It's fresh and creamy, and it can be whipped up from scratch in under an hour, so it's a good choice for busy family weeknights too.

I'm using Barilla® Protein Plus Penne in this dish. It has 17g of protein from all natural vegetarian ingredients, so if you want to go meat-free, you can skip the chicken and still get the protein you need for a balanced diet. If you're on a higher protein diet, it can help you reach your daily intake goals. Barilla makes lots of pastas for different needs, including gluten-free; Find out more here (and also try their recipe builder!)

• 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 3 medium chicken breasts, split
• 1 tsp. salt, divided
• 1/2 tsp. pepper, divided
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning, divided
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 c. white wine
• 2 c. heavy cream
• 14.5 oz. box of Barilla Protein Plus Penne pasta
• 1 large bunch of fresh spinach, washed, dried, and stems removed
• 1 large ripe tomato, seeds and pulp removed and diced
• 1/2 c. grated parmesan

1. Start by pre-heating your oven to the lowest temperature and heating the olive oil in a large frying pan over Medium while we prepare the chicken breasts.
2. Split each breast like you're going to butterfly them, but cut all of the way through so you have 6 thin breasts.
   
   
   
3. Pat breasts dry with a paper towel and take 1/2 tsp. of the salt, 1/4 tsp. of the pepper, and 1/2 tsp. of the Italian seasoning and use it to season the breast halves.
4. Your oil should be hot by now, so carefully place the breasts in the pan and sauté until cooked through. Remove from heat, then place the chicken on paper towels on a baking sheet and place the baking sheet in the oven to keep warm.
   
   
   
   
   
5. Fill a large pot with water, salt it, and bring it to a rolling boil.
6. Meanwhile, do not clean the chicken pan. Instead, we're going to deglaze it. Drop the minced garlic into the hot pan and sauté it for about 30 seconds before adding the wine.
7. Let the wine come to a simmer while using a wooden utensil to scrape the bottom of the pan. Allow to simmer for about a minute.
8. Pour in the heavy cream and the remaining seasonings and stir. Let it come to a simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 15-20 minutes, or until it thickens.
   
   
   
9. While the sauce is simmering, pour the box of Barilla Protein Plus Penne pasta into the boiling pasta water and follow the directions on the box to cook until al dente, or to your preferred texture.
   
   
   
10. When the sauce is thickened, add in the spinach, tearing the leaves as you go. Stir until wilted.
    
    
    
11. Add in the tomatoes, stirring to warm.
    
    
    
12. Add in the parmesan cheese, then remove the sauce from the heat and stir until incorporated.
    
    
    
13. Drain the pasta well and place it back in the pot. Pour the sauce over the pasta and toss until coated.
    
    
    
14. When ready to serve, layer a chicken breast over the pasta mixture and top with more parmesan if desired. Enjoy!

That's it! Delicious Penne pasta paired with a fantastically creamy sauce with the fresh taste of spinach and tomatoes, topped with a warm and flavorful chicken breast!


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Are you a fan of pasta dishes? Do you think you'll try mine? I love to read your comments!