Spicy Romano Chicken Pasta with Artichoke Hearts and Sun Dried Tomatoes

A description on pins like these is what inspired me to create this blog!  While searching for pins to test after my last final of summer semester on Wednesday (I hope I end up with an A!), I stumbled upon this one!  I pinned it not just for the picture, but for the description of how it's "the best recipes on pinterest!!"  I swear, people need to check grammar more often when using the internet.  :)

Boss Sanders is the blog where you'll find this pasta recipe.  This is a family blog (with the wife as the main contributor) and you can find more recipes, tips like how to save money, and right now you can follow them on their journey through adoption! Definitely check out their blog!

You know the drill by now :) Ingredients and directions as posted on their site:

Ingredients

The Sauce:

• 1 pint heavy cream
• 4 T butter
• 2 tsp  salt
• 1 – 2 tsp pepper
• 1/4 cup romano cheese
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 2 tsp cayenne pepper  *EDITED*  My husband and I like a lot of KICK to ours.  IF you or your family doesn’t, please read comments first.  If you aren’t sure how much cayenne you will like, add a tiny amt and taste as you add until it’s to your liking!

The Rest:

• 10 ounce package of bowtie pasta cooked and drained according to package directions – al dente.
• 1 1/2 T melted butter
• 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1 small jar artichoke hearts, drained
• 1 7-8 ounce precooked sliced grilled chicken (we also add equal amounts of sausage to ours…although shrimp, beef, and crab would be great too!)
• 1/8 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
• 1 oz heavy cream

How To Make It:

Sauce:

• Melt butter in saute pan or skillet. Add cream, salt and pepper, heat to a boil. Remove from heat and fold in cheeses and cayenne pepper. Set aside.

The Rest:

• In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter, then add mushrooms, and sundried tomatoes. Stir for one minute. Next add artichokes and chicken (and cooked sausage or other meat). Stir. Stir in 1 ounce heavy cream and 1/2 of the sauce. Add bowtie pasta followed by rest of the sauce. Stir gently. Serve.

I HIGHLY SUGGEST YOU DOUBLE OR TRIPLE THE RECIPE.  IT’S AMAZING!


I love that you can alter this recipe to your preference.  We went with chicken only since we had a lot of it.  Next time we will definitely add some sausage or something else in addition to the chicken.  I went with the suggested amount of cayenne pepper for this trial.  Before I added the artichoke hearts, I made sure to drain it from the marinade it came in.

12" skillet with all ingredients except the pasta!

Instead of a 10oz box of bowtie, I had on hand a 16oz box (I can never pass up 5 for 5 deals at the grocery store!).  I cooked the entire box and there was probably only about 1/2-3/4 cup worth of cooked pasta that I didn't add to the mixture.  If you have a huge family, sure, double or triple the recipe, but man it already yields a lot on its own!  We like sun-dried tomatoes, so next time around we'll add more than 1/8 cup.

Note to self: add more tomatoes next time

The verdict: This is our new favorite pasta dish that we've tried from pinterest!  It used to be the penne pasta with sun-dried tomato cream sauce, but this hands down has taken the title in our family!  The posted amount of cayenne pepper adds the right amount of kick and isn't too spicy for those who can't handle the heat.  If it is, simply cut it down to 1tsp.  :)  Hope this recipe is a success in your household as well!

Cheers!