Macaroni Grill Penne Rustica

I loved Leigh Anne's Sticky Coconut Chicken so much I decided to check out some of her other recipes. Today we tried Penne Rustica. It was fabulous. I've never had this dish at Macaroni Grill so I can't compare the two but this was really good. The cream sauce tasted different from traditional cream sauces because of the other flavors added in the with cream. It really added a lot to the dish. I loved the combination of the fresh rosemary and the garlicy grilled chicken. This made a lot (and I didn't feel like reducing it) so it would be great if you're feeding a crowd or to freeze for later.

Macaroni Grill Penne Rustica

from Leigh Anne

12 oz. grilled chicken breast (marinate in olive oil and garlic salt overnight, then grill on barbecue for best flavor)

½ pack thick bacon

48 oz. (3 boxes) penne pasta

2 large red bell peppers- diced

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

½ tsp paprika

Gratinata Sauce:

2 tsp butter

2 tsp chopped garlic

1 cup marsala wine OR 1/3 cup apple juice + 2 tbsp red wine vinegar +enough chicken broth to equal 1 cup

1 tsp dijon or dry mustard

1 tsp salt

1 tsp chopped rosemary

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

8 cups heavy cream (remember this makes a ton)

Directions:Sauté garlic in butter in large pan. Add marsala wine, mustard, salt, rosemary, cayenne pepper, and heavy cream.Cook pasta according to directions. Cook bacon. Slice chicken into medium-bite size pieces.Combine sauce, cooked pasta, diced chicken, cooked bacon, bell peppers, parmesan cheese, and paprika and mix thoroughly. Spread in pans. Top with chopped rosemary and mozzarella cheese.
Bake @ 475 for 10 minutes. If frozen, thaw in refrigerator the day of. Cover with foil and bake @ 375 for 1 hour. Remove foil during the last 15 minutes.Number Of Servings: Yields one 8×8 and two 9×13 casserole dishes.Preparation Time: More than an hour