Al dente pasta tossed in a spiced tomato cream sauce with fresh tomatoes and spinach. This Noodles Copycat Penne Rosa will have you skipping takeout to make it at home.

What Is Penne Rosa?

Penne Rosa is a dish served at a restaurant called Noodles and Company. The dish consisted of penne pasta tossed in a spicy tomato cream sauce, fresh tomatoes and spinach, mushrooms, and parmesan crusted chicken. To die for. I have been making our at home version of their Penne Rosa ever since we I was a newlywed. Penne Rosa has been a lazy Sunday afternoon staple for years and years and years. I adore how fast and easy this dish is to whip up, and for me, it is the ultimate comfort food.

What To Add To Your Grocery List

For this homemade version of penne rosa – you’ll need:

penne pasta

olive oil

egg

chicken breasts

bread crumbs

grated parmesan cheese

fresh garlic

chicken broth

fresh or canned tomatoes

fresh spinach

crushed red pepper

your favorite jarred marinara sauce

heavy whipping cream

shaved parmesan for garnish

Creating Penne Rosa At Home

This is a semi-homemade recipe and doesn’t require lots of skill or a pantry full of special spices or ingredients. It is a solid, basic, make any day of the week meal that I promise will please your tummy! Let me give you the run down.

To prep – start by boiling some water and cooking 16 ounces of penne pasta according to the package directions.

Using shallow bowls, combine the breadcrumbs and parmesan in one, and an egg in the other. Give the egg a quick scramble. Dip each chicken breast into the egg mixture and coat both sides. Immediately dip the chicken into the breadcrumb/parmesan mixture and coat both side. Repeat for both chicken breasts. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Once the oil is heated, add your chicken breasts and cook until they no longer stick to the pan. Flip your chicken and cook the opposite side until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from the pan and place on a plate to rest. If you’d like to keep it warm – you and place the cooked breasts on a baking tray and rest in an oven set to 200 degrees. Add 1 tbsp olive oil to the pan along with minced garlic. Cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add chicken broth to the skillet and deglaze the bottom by using a wooden spoon to scrape the brown bits from the bottom. Toss in diced tomatoes and cook for one minute. Add jarred marinara sauce to your skillet. Toss in crushed red pepper. Stir to combine and cook for 10 minutes. Pour in heavy whipping cream. Stir to combine. Add spinach and mushrooms. Toss in cooked penne pasta. Toss to combine and add grilled chicken to the top.

Secrets To Perfect Parmesan Crusted Chicken

One rule to follow when cooking your chicken is to resist the urge to be flip happy. DO NOT. I repeat. Do not flip your chicken a gazillion times. You want to cook each side only once. The chicken will naturally release from the pan when it is done cooking – so you shouldn’t have to scrape it out of your frying pan at all. So if you try to lift it and it is stuck, let it continue to cook.

Chicken must be cooked to 165 degrees internally for it to be safe to eat. I always use a thermometer to check my meat temps.

Penne Rosa FAQ

How Can I make this vegetarian?

Swap out the chicken broth for Vegetable broth and omit the chicken.

How can I make this vegan?

Swap out the chicken broth for Vegetable broth. Omit the chicken and the whipping cream. Skip the parmesan as a garnish. Feel free to add tofu or extra veggies.

How do I get my chicken to not stick to the pan?

The chicken will naturally release from the pan when it is done cooking – so you shouldn’t have to scrape it out of your frying pan at all. So if you try to lift it and it is stuck, let it continue to cook.

Can I use vodka sauce rather than marinara sauce?

Yes – use your favorite jarred vodka sauce in place of the marinara sauce. Omit the cream.

Is this the real Noodles & Co recipe?

No. While I wish I had their secret recipe, this is my best stab at it. Many have tried this recipe and find it to be pretty darn similar.

How do I store the leftovers?

Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate. Reheat leftovers in the microwave. Will keep for 5 days.

At Noodles they offer both parmesan and feta as a garnish. Can I use feta in place of parmesan?

Of course! Feta adds a nice creamy touch to this dish in place of the parmesan.

I LOVE This Recipe! Do You Have Others I Can Try?

Our French bread is the perfect companion to this recipe. I also love serving it with one of our delicious salads. If you’re looking for more pasta recipes – try out our:

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4.7 from 10 votes Print Penne Rosa – Noodles & Company Copycat Prep Time 10 mins Cook Time 30 mins Total Time 40 mins Copy cat recipe of Noodle's and Co Penne Rosa. A spicy tomato cream sauce tossed with penne, tomatoes, and spinach - topped with parmesan chicken. Click here now for the full recipe! Course: Main Course Cuisine: Italian Keyword: creamy tomato pasta, spicy creamy tomato sauce Servings : 6 servings Calories : 626 kcal Author : Kadee Ingredients 2 chicken breasts

1 egg beaten

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

3 tbsp olive oil divided

24 oz jar of marinara sauce

2 cloves garlic minced

1/4 cup chicken broth

1/4 tsp + crushed red pepper flakes adjust depending on how spicy you like it

1/2 cup heavy cream

4 oz can sliced mushrooms drained or 1/2 cup fresh (optional)

3 small tomatoes diced

2 cups baby spinach

16 oz penne pasta

grated parmesan cheese for garnish Instructions Using shallow bowls, combine the breadcrumbs and parmesan in one, and an egg in the other. Give the egg a quick scramble. Dip each chicken breast into the egg mixture and coat both sides. Immediately dip the chicken into the breadcrumb/parmesan mixture and coat both side. Repeat for both chicken breasts. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Once the oil is heated, add your chicken breasts and cook until they no longer stick to the pan. Flip your chicken and cook the opposite side until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from the pan and place on a plate to rest. If you'd like to keep it warm - you and place the cooked breasts on a baking tray and rest in an oven set to 200 degrees. Add 1 tbsp olive oil to the pan along with minced garlic. Cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add chicken broth to the skillet and deglaze the bottom by using a wooden spoon to scrape the brown bits from the bottom. Toss in diced tomatoes and cook for one minute. Add jarred marinara sauce to your skillet. Toss in crushed red pepper. Stir to combine and cook for 10 minutes. Pour in heavy whipping cream. Stir to combine. Add spinach and mushrooms. Toss in cooked penne pasta. Toss to combine and add grilled chicken to the top. Recipe Video Recipe Notes Penne Rosa FAQ How Can I make this vegetarian? Swap out the chicken broth for Vegetable broth and omit the chicken. How can I make this vegan? Swap out the chicken broth for Vegetable broth. Omit the chicken and the whipping cream. Skip the parmesan as a garnish. Feel free to add tofu or extra veggies. How do I get my chicken to not stick to the pan? The chicken will naturally release from the pan when it is done cooking - so you shouldn't have to scrape it out of your frying pan at all. So if you try to lift it and it is stuck, let it continue to cook. Can I use vodka sauce rather than marinara sauce? Yes - use your favorite jarred vodka sauce in place of the marinara sauce. Omit the cream. Is this the real Noodles & Co recipe? No. While I wish I had their secret recipe, this is my best stab at it. Many have tried this recipe and find it to be pretty darn similar. How do I store the leftovers? Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate. Reheat leftovers in the microwave. Will keep for 5 days. At Noodles they offer both parmesan and feta as a garnish. Can I use feta in place of parmesan? Of course! Feta adds a nice creamy touch to this dish in place of the parmesan. Nutrition Facts Penne Rosa – Noodles & Company Copycat Amount Per Serving (1 cup) Calories 626 Calories from Fat 189 % Daily Value* Fat 21g 32% Saturated Fat 8g 50% Cholesterol 110mg 37% Sodium 947mg 41% Potassium 1145mg 33% Carbohydrates 74g 25% Fiber 6g 25% Sugar 10g 11% Protein 35g 70% Vitamin A 2392IU 48% Vitamin C 21mg 25% Calcium 178mg 18% Iron 4mg 22% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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