Pesto Penne and Chicken

By Paul Briand

Faced with entertaining my wife, my daughter, my son, my stepdaughter, and my step son-in-law for dinner this week, this one came about solely by inspiration fueled by desperation.

I needed something that could easily feed a lot of people (pasta is usually a good bet there) but that had some bulk, some taste and some flair.

I basically pieced this one together as I shopped, choosing the chicken thighs because of how well they fry up in olive oil and how it all might be enhanced when combined with sun-dried tomatoes and mushrooms.

Ingredients
Eight pack of chicken thighs
Box of penne pasta
11-ounce ready made pesto with basil
Package of sun-dried tomatoes, cut into strips
1 cup sliced portabello mushrooms
Minced garlic to taste
Olive oil
Sherry
Pepper to taste

Directions
1. Coat a large skillet with olive oil and over medium high heat cook the chicken thighs. Once no longer pink, remove and set aside. Let rest about three minutes then cut into strips;
2. Add a little more olive oil to same skillet and sautee sun-dried tomato strips and mushrooms, adding minced garlic as vegetables start to go limp;
3. In the meantime, cook the pasta in large pot of water with a splash of olive oil. Cook to al dente and drain;
4. Add a splash or two of sherry to the skillet to deglaze the bottom and pick up all that flavor from the chicken rendering;
5. In large bowl, add drained pasta and pour in all the contents of the skillet and give a big stir;
6. Add pesto to the pasta bowl and mix in thoroughly;
7. Serve by first adding penne pesto mixture to the plate, then top with several strips of chicken.

This serves six easily with enough for seconds and/or leftovers.