Garlic Chicken Baked Penne

• 3-4 chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
• 3 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic, divided
• 2 1/2 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1 box whole grain penne pasta
• 2 cans fire roasted tomatoes with garlic
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 can 2% evaporated milk
• 2 ounces light cream cheese
• 2/3 cup chicken broth
• salt to taste
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese for topping

In a skillet, melt 1/2 tablespoon butter and add 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic. Saute for 1 minute or until garlic is soft and fragrant. Add chicken and cook about 3 minutes on each side, until no longer pink.

Cook pasta as directed until al dente. Drain and return to pan. Drain tomatoes and add to the pasta. Add cooked chicken.

In a small skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter and add 3 teaspoons minced garlic over medium-high heat. Saute for 1 minute. Add flour and stir until a soft, sticky mixture forms – about 1 minute. Add half of the evaporated milk and whisk until smooth. As it cooks, the mixture will start to thicken and bubble – when it does, add the rest of the evaporated milk. As the mixture thickens and bubbles again, add the cream cheese and whisk until smooth. As the mixture thickens, add the chicken stock to thin out the sauce. Season with salt to taste.

Pour sauce immediately over pasta and mix gently. Pour into a 13x9 baking dish. Top with Parmesan cheese; bake at 375 degrees for about 10-15 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Notes: The sauce will start to really thicken within a few minutes of taking it off the heat. Make sure to mix it in with the pasta right away. You could also top this with seasoned breadcrumbs.

Original recipe from www.pinchofyum.com