Penne Tossed with Sauteed Chicken, Kale and Cherry Tomatoes

Boneless chicken slices, sautéed with garlic, onion, cherry tomatoes, kale and chicken broth are tossed with penne pasta, making this an easy gourmet dinner for any weeknight.

My family was in the mood for one of my chicken dishes, and (if you know me) I'm always thinking of ways to incorporate some vegetables into them.  This is a simple sauce made with baby kale, cherry tomatoes and chicken broth; incorporating them not only gives this dish its array of colors, it also gives its savory flavors and a sense of freshness to every bite. 

This is one of those dishes that is effortless, and puts dinner on the table - pronto!
Let's call this one an "all-in-one" dish, shall we?

Simply open one package of boneless chicken breasts, rinse and slice each one into 2-inch strips.  Set aside.

Then grab a large non-stick skillet and add some olive oil.  Sauté some garlic and onion and add the pieces of chicken to the skillet and cook it thoroughly.

Add cherry tomatoes, chicken broth, and baby kale. Season with salt and pepper to taste and the sauce is done! 

  Cook the penne pasta in a pot of boiling water until it's al-dente, drain, and toss in the chicken, kale and cherry tomato sauce.  And your gourmet dinner is served!

This chicken dish with kale and cherry tomatoes turned out fantastic! All the flavors come together very nicely, even the taste of kale is sweeter.  And when you add it to penne pasta and top it with lots of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese?
It's sublime!



Penne Tossed with Sautéed Chicken, Kale, and Cherry Tomatoes

• 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves - sliced
• 1 onion - diced
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts- rinsed, sliced into thin pieces
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes- sliced into halves
• 1/2 cup chicken broth, and extra
• 5 ounces fresh baby kale, or kale blend, rinsed
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 pound penne pasta
• grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for serving

In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil on medium heat.  Add garlic and onion and sauté for about 3 minutes until onions are softened. 

Season chicken pieces with a sprinkle of salt and pepper.  Add them to the pan with onions and garlic and sauté the chicken until they are fully cooked and golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Add cherry tomatoes, chicken broth, and lower the heat.

Simmer on low heat for about 2 minutes until the tomatoes soften, about 1- 2 minutes.  Add the kale on top, and stir the kale into the mixture until it wilts.  No need to cover.
Taste the broth and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Turn off the heat.

In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add some salt to the boiling water, and add the penne pasta.  Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, set aside.
Cook the pasta,  just 1 minute less than it recommends on the package.  Drain the pasta.  Return it back into the pot.

Carefully transfer the chicken, kale, tomatoes and all the broth into the pasta.
Pour in the reserved pasta water into the pot.  Turn on the heat, to low.
Stir and toss everything until well blended. Turn off the heat.
Transfer into individual bowls or plates, and serve with lots of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese on top.

Serves 4 to 6

Thanks for stopping by!  Until next time- have a great day!

Warmly,

 Anna  and Liz