Penne and Chicken Tenderloins with Spiced Tomato Sauce

Had this for dinner tonight with Caesar Salad. It was very good. Simple too. I thought it would be good with sausage (the fennel makes me think that), and it reminded me of the Provolone and Chicken Sausage thingie. But D said much easier, so we will have again.

Penne and Chicken Tenderloins with Spiced Tomato Sauce


Any small pasta will work in this quick, easy entrée. Ground fennel and coriander bring a welcome complexity to the chicken and impart their flavor to the sauce. Total time: 36 minutes.


1 teaspoon ground fennel seed
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound chicken breast tenders, cut into (1-inch) pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups canned diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup white wine
8 ounces uncooked penne
1/4 cup (1 ounce) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl; rub over chicken.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 4 minutes, turning once. Remove from heat; set aside.

Reduce heat to medium. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds or until garlic is soft. Add tomatoes and wine, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Add chicken, and simmer 5 minutes.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain. Toss pasta with sauce in a large bowl. Sprinkle with cheese and basil.


Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 1 1/2 cups)

CALORIES 446 (15% from fat); FAT 7.2g (sat 1.9g,mono 3.2g,poly 0.8g); PROTEIN 38.5g; CHOLESTEROL 70mg; CALCIUM 153mg; SODIUM 774mg; FIBER 6.5g; IRON 4.2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 57.1g

Cooking Light, APRIL 2006