# Creamy Chicken Penne Pasta

## Description
A delicious and easy-to-make creamy penne pasta dish with perfectly cooked chicken, featuring a rich tomato and cream sauce.

## Quick Facts
- Calories: 890 per serving
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Servings: 4
- Difficulty: easy
- Cuisine: Italian
- Health Score: 7/10

## Nutrition Per Serving
- Calories: 890
- Protein: 51g
- Carbohydrates: 89g
- Fat: 36g
- Fiber: 5g
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 800mg

## Dietary Information
This recipe is: Nut-Free

## Ingredients (4 servings)
- 450 gram Penne pasta
- 450 gram Chicken breast (about 2 large breasts)
- 2 tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 medium Red bell pepper (diced)
- 3 cloves Garlic (minced)
- 1 can Crushed tomatoes (15 oz / 425g)
- 1 cup Heavy cream
- 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese (grated, plus more for serving)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 0.5 teaspoon Red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 teaspoon Salt (or to taste)
- 0.5 teaspoon Black pepper (or to taste)
- 0.5 tablespoon Fresh parsley (chopped, for garnish)

## Instructions
1. Season 450 grams of chicken breast with salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes (if using). Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken breasts for 6-8 minutes per side, or until cooked through and golden brown. Remove from pan and set aside to rest.
2. While the chicken cooks, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 450 grams of penne pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside, reserving about 1/2 cup of pasta water.
3. In the same pan used for chicken, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add 1 diced red bell pepper and sauté for 3-5 minutes until softened. Add 3 minced garlic cloves and cook for another minute until fragrant.
4. Pour in 1 can (15 oz) of crushed tomatoes and 1 cup of heavy cream. Stir well to combine. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and let it cook for 5-7 minutes, allowing it to thicken slightly. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and 0.5 teaspoon of black pepper, and additional Italian seasoning if desired.
5. Add the cooked penne pasta to the sauce. Stir to coat the pasta evenly. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water until it reaches your desired consistency.
6. Stir in 0.5 cup of grated Parmesan cheese until melted and well combined.
7. Slice the cooked chicken breast into strips. Serve the creamy penne pasta in bowls, topped with the sliced chicken and a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley and extra Parmesan cheese.

## Allergen Information
Contains: gluten, dairy

## Tags
pasta, chicken, creamy, dinner, quick, comfort-food

## Machine-Readable Data

### Recipe Metadata
```json
{
  "id": "ab83b1d2-ce11-49f1-b0ce-b64762cdcede",
  "youtube_id": "XS9dyZPzKJM",
  "title": "Creamy Chicken Penne Pasta",
  "cuisine_type": "Italian",
  "meal_type": [
    "dinner",
    "lunch"
  ],
  "difficulty_level": "easy",
  "servings": 4,
  "prep_time_minutes": 15,
  "cook_time_minutes": 25,
  "total_time_minutes": 40,
  "health_score": 7,
  "created_at": "2025-07-22T11:52:26.000Z",
  "updated_at": "2025-07-22T11:52:26.000Z"
}
```

### Ingredients Data
```json
{
  "servings": 4,
  "ingredients": [
    {
      "name": "Penne pasta",
      "amount": 450,
      "unit": "gram",
      "notes": null
    },
    {
      "name": "Chicken breast",
      "amount": 450,
      "unit": "gram",
      "notes": "about 2 large breasts"
    },
    {
      "name": "Olive oil",
      "amount": 2,
      "unit": "tablespoon",
      "notes": null
    },
    {
      "name": "Red bell pepper",
      "amount": 1,
      "unit": "medium",
      "notes": "diced"
    },
    {
      "name": "Garlic",
      "amount": 3,
      "unit": "cloves",
      "notes": "minced"
    },
    {
      "name": "Crushed tomatoes",
      "amount": 1,
      "unit": "can",
      "notes": "15 oz / 425g"
    },
    {
      "name": "Heavy cream",
      "amount": 1,
      "unit": "cup",
      "notes": null
    },
    {
      "name": "Parmesan cheese",
      "amount": 0.5,
      "unit": "cup",
      "notes": "grated, plus more for serving"
    },
    {
      "name": "Italian seasoning",
      "amount": 1,
      "unit": "teaspoon",
      "notes": null
    },
    {
      "name": "Red pepper flakes",
      "amount": 0.5,
      "unit": "teaspoon",
      "notes": "optional"
    },
    {
      "name": "Salt",
      "amount": 1,
      "unit": "teaspoon",
      "notes": "or to taste"
    },
    {
      "name": "Black pepper",
      "amount": 0.5,
      "unit": "teaspoon",
      "notes": "or to taste"
    },
    {
      "name": "Fresh parsley",
      "amount": 0.5,
      "unit": "tablespoon",
      "notes": "chopped, for garnish"
    }
  ]
}
```

### Nutrition Data (per serving)
```json
{
  "calories": 890,
  "macros": {
    "protein_g": 51,
    "carbs_g": 89,
    "fat_g": 36,
    "fiber_g": 5,
    "sugar_g": 5,
    "sodium_mg": 800
  },
  "dietary_tags": {
    "vegan": false,
    "vegetarian": false,
    "gluten_free": false,
    "dairy_free": false,
    "nut_free": true
  }
}
```

---
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