Sun-Dried Tomato Romesco Chicken

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A simple and vibrant sauce elevates this chicken-and-pasta weeknight dinner.

sun dried tomato romesco chicken
Photo:

Jennifer Causey

Prep Time:
30 mins
Total Time:
30 mins
Servings:
4

Romesco sauce is the foundation of a meal that's guaranteed to be scrumptious. This vibrant red sauce hails from Catalonia, Spain. It’s traditionally a thick, blended mixture of tomatoes, red bell peppers, onion, garlic, almonds, and olive oil. It’s most often served with fish or chicken, but you'll also find it with roasted vegetables, pasta, sandwiches, and even as a dip. In this weeknight rendition, two supermarket shortcuts (sun-dried tomatoes and roasted bell peppers) make an intensely flavorful sauce to coat the springy pasta and juicy chicken cutlets. 

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces rigatoni or penne pasta

  • 1 7-ounce jar whole sun-dried tomatoes in oil

  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

  • 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more for water

  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped almonds, divided

  • 2 jarred roasted red bell peppers, drained and chopped

  • 2 cloves garlic, smashed

  • 1/4 cup olive oil

  • 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

  • 4 chicken breast cutlets (1 pound total)

  • 1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.

  2. Meanwhile, drain tomatoes, reserving 3 tablespoons oil. Chop tomatoes; place 1/4 cup in a small bowl for gremolata.

  3. Add parsley, 1 tablespoon reserved tomato oil, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons almonds to tomatoes in bowl for gremolata.

  4. Make romesco sauce: Process remaining chopped tomatoes, roasted red bell peppers, garlic, olive oil, 1/4 cup water, vinegar, remaining 1/4 cup almonds, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a blender until smooth, about 30 seconds.

  5. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons reserved tomato oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Pat chicken dry and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add chicken to skillet; cook, turning occasionally, until well browned and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate, reserving any drippings in skillet.

  6. Add cooked pasta, cream, romesco, 1/4 cup reserved pasta water (plus more if needed), and remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt to skillet. Toss until pasta is well coated. Serve pasta with chicken, topped with gremolata.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

1248 Calories
54g Fat
37g Carbs
150g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 4
Calories 1248
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 54g 69%
Saturated Fat 15g 75%
Cholesterol 419mg 140%
Sodium 917mg 40%
Total Carbohydrate 37g 13%
Dietary Fiber 6g 21%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 150g
Vitamin C 169mg 843%
Calcium 164mg 13%
Iron 8mg 47%
Potassium 2230mg 47%

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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