Penne with Tomato Cream Sauce and Blackened Chicken

Headnote

This dish is built on contrast: the direct heat of blackened chicken, the sweetness of tomato, and the quiet richness of cream and parmesan. The sauce must remain supple, not heavy, and the pasta should carry it with discipline rather than excess. When made correctly, the plate is complete, polished, and deeply satisfying.

Recipe essentials

Dish category: Pasta with chicken
Cuisine or origin: Contemporary Italian-inspired
Course type: Main course
Yield: 2 servings
Serving size: 260 g
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Difficulty: Intermediate

Equipment

Large pot
Large sauté pan
Medium saucepan
Colander
Chef’s knife
Cutting board
Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
Tongs
Kitchen scale

Ingredients

Chicken

Chicken breast, 260 g

Olive oil, 12 g

Paprika, 4 g

Black pepper, 2 g

Salt, 4 g

Pasta

Penne pasta, 160 g

Salt, 8 g

Tomato cream sauce

Olive oil, 18 g

Butter, 20 g

Onion, finely diced, 80 g

Garlic, finely minced, 12 g

Tomato, finely chopped, 220 g

Paprika, 2 g

Black pepper, 1 g

Salt, 3 g

Heavy cream, 140 g

Parmesan cheese, finely grated, 40 g

Method

1. Bring a large pot of water to a full boil and season it with the salt for the pasta. The water should taste distinctly seasoned. Add the penne and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until just tender with a slight firmness at the center. Drain well and reserve.

2. While the pasta cooks, prepare the chicken. Pat the chicken breast dry, then coat it evenly with the olive oil, paprika, black pepper, and salt. The surface should be evenly stained and lightly glossy.

3. Set a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 4 to 5 minutes on the first side, then turn and cook for 4 to 5 minutes on the second side. The exterior should be deeply colored and aromatic, and the center should reach full doneness while remaining juicy. Transfer to a board and rest for 5 minutes, then slice.

4. In a medium saucepan, warm the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until translucent and sweet without browning. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.

5. Add the tomato, paprika, black pepper, and salt. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until the tomato softens and loses its raw edge. The mixture should become thick and concentrated.

6. Lower the heat and add the heavy cream. Simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, until the sauce turns smooth and lightly orange. Add the parmesan and stir until fully melted. The sauce should coat the spoon in a clean, even layer.

7. Add the drained penne to the sauce and toss for 1 minute over low heat until every piece is evenly glossed. If the sauce tightens, loosen it only by continued gentle stirring; it should remain creamy and cohesive, not loose.

8. Arrange the pasta in warmed bowls and lay the sliced chicken neatly over the top. Serve immediately while the sauce is supple and the chicken remains hot.

Plating and serving

Twirl the penne into a compact mound and place the chicken in a clean line across the pasta. Spoon a little sauce over the surface so the dish appears finished, not buried. The final plate should show balance: glossy pasta, vivid sauce, and sharply seasoned chicken.

Professional notes

Do not let the cream boil hard, or the sauce will lose its finesse. The tomato must be cooked until sweet and concentrated before the cream is added. Resting the chicken is essential; slicing too early will waste its juices and weaken the dish.