Mock Penne Rosa (Noodles & Co.)

I don't know about you but I LOVE Penne Rosa! Its tomato-cream based sauce is the perfect carrier for some heat from red pepper flakes (a personal fav). Needless to say, I was SO excited to find a recipe that claimed to be a copy-cat for the Noodles & Co. version!

I used the recipe from A Dutch Oven.

*NOTE: This recipe is for a LARGE quantity! It calls for an ENTIRE 1lb box of pasta!* 

Here is my adapted recipe with a few notes of things I might try WHEN we make it again. Yes, WHEN... Matt has already suggested that this be added to our regular menu!!!

Ingredients

1 lb - penne pasta
2 Tbs - white wine (I just used what I had on hand - Don't judge the college girl :-P)
2 Tbs - olive oil
1 tsp - red pepper flake (Original recipe called for 1/2 tsp but even with 1 tsp it could have used more - if you like heat I suggest upping this)
3/4 C - marinara sauce
1/2 C - sliced mushrooms
1 - 14oz can - diced tomatoes (Original recipe called for italian style diced tomatoes)
A few shakes each - garlic powder, dried basil, dried oregano
3/4 C - heavy whipping cream (Next time I will try greek yogurt to up thickness / reduce the calories)
3/4 C - baby spinach
1/2 of a rotisserie chicken - shredded
Parmesan cheese

1. Boil the pasta according to the directions

2. In a LARGE skillet combine wine, olive oil, red pepper, marinara, mushrooms, tomatoes, garlic powder, basil, and oregano. Bring to a boil and stir for 5 minutes.

3. Reduce the skillet heat to Lo, add the heavy cream and baby spinach, and mix until spinach is wilted.

4. Add drained pasta and shredded chicken to the marinara skillet and combine well.

5. Serve immediately and top with freshly grated parmesan

I may not have served it with parmesan, but I think it would have been a really nice addition. Overall, I would HIGHLY recommend this recipe. It was incredibly easy and delicious. Do not be fooled by the first few bites that may seem a little underwhelming. Once the heat kicked in, Matt literally couldn't stop eating it!

When I make it again I will probably 1/2 the recipe since there are only 2 of us, but for a family of 4-6 this should be a great size! Hope you enjoy and I would LOVE to hear from you if you try it!

<3 The Boilers MJK