Chicken and Spinach Penne Pasta

Penne pasta can be some of the most wonderful pasta around, as long as you make it right. One of the best ways to make penne pasta is by mixing a little chicken and spinach in with it. Once cooked, the chicken penne pasta can be served either hot or cold, though it is probably best when served hot. Regardless of how you serve it, this recipe for chicken and spinach penne pasta will leave you wanting more. For some reason, one serving is never enough.

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces Mascarpone cheese
• 2 ounces shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 pound penne pasta
• 1 pound boneless chicken breast
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• 4 tablespoons of butter
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 10 ounces fresh spinach
• Sliced grape tomatoes (optional as garnish)

Recipe:

1. Cook chicken. Place a medium sized pan onto your stove, and set it to a medium high heat. In this pan, place three tablespoons of butter, the chicken, and some salt an pepper. Continue to cook the chicken until it has been cooked all the way through, and then remove it from the pan. Slice the chicken into thin slices, about 1/4 inch wide, and then slice them in half again. Set the chicken aside for later.
2. Saute spinach. In the same pan that you cooked the chicken, begin sauteing the mined garlic in one tablespoon of butter. Once the garlic has begun to brown, add the spinach leaves. Continue to saute the spinach leaves and the garlic until the leaves begin to wilt slightly. Remove the spinach and garlic from the pan, and set aside for later.
3. Prepare pasta. Use a large pot, add enough water to cover all pasta, and then place on your stove. Turn the heat on high, and add a dash of salt. Wait until the water is at a rolling boil, and then add the pasta. Stir the pasta until it is done (test with a fork, if you can slice it in half then it is done). Remove the pasta from the heat, and drain it.
4. Mix ingredients. Return the drained pasta to the hot pot, and begin adding the ingredients together. Add the pasta, chicken, Mascarpone cheese, and spinach and begin mixing. Mix the ingredients until the cheese has started to melt. Once the cheese has melted, remove the pasta dish from the pot, and place into a serving bowl.
5. Garnish and serve. Garnish the chicken and spinach penne pasta with some Parmesan cheese, and sliced grape tomatoes. Serve immediately for a hot dish. Chill the ungarnished pasta dish in the refrigerator before garnishing for a cooler version of this same dish.

This recipe, as listed here, will serve four people. The recipe is easily adjusted for more servings, since all you need to do is double the ingredients for eight servings. If there are any leftovers when you are finished, simply place them into a air tight plastic container, and store in the fridge.