Chicken Penne alla Rossa

🥘 Ingredients

• bell pepper
  1 unit
• butter
  2 tbsp
• chicken breast strips
  12 oz
• chili flakes
  1 unit
• cream cheese
  2 tbsp
• garlic
  1 unit
• olive oil
  3 tbsp
• oregano
  2 tsp
• parmesan cheese
  ¼ cup
• penne pasta
  12 oz
• tomato paste
  2 tbsp

🍳 Cookware

• large pot
• baking sheet
• strainer
• medium bowl
• paper towels
• large pan
• cutting board

1. 

   1

   Wash and dry all produce. Halve bell pepper lengthwise; remove stem and seeds. Pick oregano leaves from stems; mince leaves until you have the measured amount.

   bell pepper: 1 unit, oregano: 2 tsp
2. 

   2

   Preheat oven to 400°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Place bell pepper halves on a baking sheet ; drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange cut sides down. Place garlic cloves on a small piece of foil; drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cinch into a packet; add to same sheet. Roast on middle rack until bell pepper is lightly charred and garlic is softened ⏱️ 20 minutes . Let cool slightly.

   olive oil: 3 tbsp, garlic: 1 unit
3. 

   3

   Once water is boiling, add penne pasta to pot. Cook until al dente ⏱️ 9 minutes . Reserve ¾ cup pasta water, then drain using a strainer .

   penne pasta: 12 oz
4. 

   4

   Meanwhile, place chicken breast strips in a medium bowl and pat dry with paper towels . Toss with half the minced oregano, a big pinch of salt, and a pinch of chili flakes if desired. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through ⏱️ 4 minutes . Turn off heat; transfer to a plate.

   chicken breast strips: 12 oz, chili flakes: 1 unit
5. 

   5

   Once bell pepper and garlic cloves are cool enough to handle, transfer to a cutting board . Thinly slice bell pepper and gently mash garlic with a fork until smooth. Heat pan used for chicken over medium-high heat. Add tomato paste , ½ cup reserved pasta cooking water, ½ tsp salt, and remaining minced oregano. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened ⏱️ 2 minutes . Reduce heat to low.

   tomato paste: 2 tbsp
6. 

   6

   Stir in cream cheese until melted. Add chicken, bell pepper, mashed garlic, penne, half the parmesan cheese , and butter . If needed, stir in more reserved pasta cooking water a splash at a time until penne is thoroughly coated in sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Divide pasta between bowls. Top with remaining Parmesan. If desired, add a pinch of chili flakes and mince more oregano for garnish.

   cream cheese: 2 tbsp, parmesan cheese: ¼ cup, butter: 2 tbsp