Chicken Penne in a Tomato Basil Cream Sauce

This is for sure an elevated version of the classic Chicken Alfredo. Can’t wait for you guys to try it and let me know what you think in the comments below.

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3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 ½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon Badia Complete seasoning
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon American Spice Trading Company Poultry seasoning or 1 teaspoon of any Cajun seasoning
3 garlic cloves chopped
1 medium shallot, chopped
1 ½ cups of cherry tomatoes, cut in half
2 tablespoons white wine or white cooking wine
4-5 large basil leaves
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 ½ cups heavy cream
½ cup unsalted chicken stock
1 pound penne pasta-cooked al dente
¼ cup shaved parmesan
Olive oil

**Directions:**

1. **Prepare the Chicken:**
– Using a meat mallet or a heavy pan, pound the chicken breasts to about ¾ inch thick. If the breasts are very thick, slice them in half horizontally.

2. **Season the Chicken:**
– In a small bowl, mix together salt, pepper, Badia seasoning, paprika, and poultry seasoning.
– Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of oil over the chicken breasts.
– Season one side of each chicken breast with about 1½ tablespoons of the seasoning mixture. Adjust as needed.
– Flip the chicken and season the other side.

3. **Cook the Chicken:**
– Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
– Once the oil is hot and lightly smoking, add the chicken breasts. Do not move them after placing them in the pan.
– Cook the chicken for 7–9 minutes on each side, until fully cooked and nicely browned.
– Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside, leaving the drippings in the skillet.

4. **Prepare the Sauce:**
– Add chopped shallots to the skillet and cook for about 2 minutes, or until they begin to brown.
– Add chopped garlic and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly to avoid burning.
– Add cherry tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes, until they start to burst and break down.

5. **Deglaze the Pan:**
– Add white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up the browned bits.
– Then add cream and chicken stock. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, avoiding a full boil to prevent curdling.

6. **Finish the Sauce:**
– Stir in lemon zest and lemon juice.
– Tear basil by hand and add it to the sauce. Let the sauce simmer gently for about 5 minutes.

7. **Combine Pasta and Chicken:**
– Add cooked pasta to the sauce. Slice or dice the cooked chicken and add it to the pasta. Mix well.
– Season to taste with any remaining seasoning mix and cook everything together for about 5 minutes, allowing the flavors to combine.

8. **Serve:**
– Optional: Slice the lemon and toss the slices into the pasta.
– Right before serving, add Parmesan cheese and mix well.
– Garnish with additional basil and parsley, then serve.