Chicken Penne with Roasted Pepper Sauce

📝 Ingredients

• 320 g wholemeal penne
• 500 g chicken breast
• 1 jar roasted peppers (200 g drained)
• 150 g ricotta
• 30 g grated Parmesan
• 2 garlic cloves
• 100 g baby spinach
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 100 ml pasta cooking water
• Salt, black pepper

🍴 Utensils

• Large saucepan
• Large frying pan
• Stick blender or blender
• Chopping board
• Knife
• Colander

📖 Steps

1. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Meanwhile, peel and finely chop the garlic. Cut the chicken into 2 cm cubes, put them in a bowl with the paprika, salt and pepper, and toss to coat well.
2. Cook the penne for the time stated on the packet (usually 10 to 12 minutes), stirring from time to time so they don't stick. Scoop out 100 ml of the cooking water with a mug just before draining.
3. While the pasta cooks, drain the peppers and blend them with the ricotta and parmesan using the stick blender or blender until you have a smooth, rosy sauce. Taste, season lightly with salt and add pepper.
4. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the chicken cubes in a single layer, leave them to brown for 2 minutes without touching, then turn them and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until white all the way through. Add the chopped garlic for the last minute of cooking.
5. Turn the heat down to low, pour the sauce over the chicken and warm it through for 2 minutes, stirring, without letting it boil: the ricotta could turn grainy and the sauce would lose its velvety texture.
6. Add the drained penne and the baby spinach, then stir for 1 to 2 minutes until the spinach wilts. Loosen with the cooking water, a little at a time, until the sauce coats all the pasta nicely.
7. Serve straight away, or leave to cool slightly (no more than an hour out of the fridge) and divide between 4 airtight containers. It keeps for 3 days in the fridge: reheat in the microwave with 1 tbsp water, stirring halfway through.