Chicken Penne with Artichokes, Tomatoes, and Pesto Cream

 PREP TIME: 10 to 15 minutes • COOK TIME: 10 minutes

From Robin Rescues Dinner. A fancy name for a meal that's ready in just minutes! Thanks to flavorful canned artichokes, diced tomatoes, heavy cream, and prepared basil pesto, you can toss together an exotic-tasting meal with grocery-store staples.

12 ounces penne or bow-tie pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (6 oz. each), cubed
1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained and halved
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup heavy cream, or more as necessary
1/2 cup prepared basil pesto (I buy this from Sam's or Costco - so much cheaper!)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until golden brown on all sides. Add the artichoke hearts, tomatoes, cream, and pesto and bring to a simmer. Simmer, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink on the inside.

3. Fold in the cooked pasta and Parmesan cheese and cook for 1 minute to heat through, adding more cream or a little water if necessary to create a thinner sauce. Remove from the heat and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serves 4