pasta & chicken with creamy sun-dried tomato sauce

Get ready for a good dinner! This is a keeper I found in the Mary Englebreit Home Companion magazine, probably 5 years ago. I've modified it just slightly.

Pasta & Chicken with Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce

3 T. butter

1 T. olive oil

3-4 chicken breasts, diced into 2-inch pieces

2 T. flour

1 pound penne pasta (or any shape you like)

1/2 onion, chopped fine

1/2 pint cream

1/2 c. oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced

{I get them at Costco because they cost less and they are already sliced in the jar}

3 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil, or 3 tsp. dried basil

salt & pepper

grated parmesan cheese {optional}

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Melt butter and oil together in a large skillet. Toss chicken in the flour, season with salt and pepper, and sear over medium-high heat, until golden brown and just cooked. Transfer to a plate.

Add pasta to boiling water and cook according to package directions.

Add onion to the skillet and saute for a couple minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add the cream, sun-dried tomatoes, and basil to the skillet, scraping up any bits of chicken. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until the sauce thickens. Stir in a good handful of parmesan cheese if you like.

Return the cooked chicken to the skillet to heat through. Salt and pepper to taste.

When pasta is cooked al dente, drain, reserving 1/2 c. pasta water to add to sauce if it needs more liquid, or for added richness, add more cream. Stir the pasta and sauce together in a big pretty bowl and enjoy!