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.

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

Ingredients

• 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

Preparation

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.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

446 (15% from fat)

Fat:

7.2g (sat 1.9g,mono 3.2g,poly 0.8g)

Protein:

38.5g

Carbohydrate:

57.1g

Fiber:

6.5g

Cholesterol:

70mg

Iron:

4.2mg

Sodium:

774mg

Calcium:

153mg