For my first date with my now-wife Tina, I took her to my favorite little pasta place in Lincoln Park in Chicago. This restaurant had been my go-to for years and I had a favorite dish on the menu that I always ordered. Of course when it was time to order, Tina chose my favorite dish, the cavatappi pollo: pasta with chicken, mushrooms, and sun-dried tomatoes in cream sauce. I didn’t want to order the same thing, so I quickly pivoted and ordered something else without telling her she picked my favorite. We began dating regularly and I wanted to make her this dish for dinner at home on one of our dates, so I practiced it a few times to get it just right. When I finally made it for her, I told her how she ordered my favorite dish on our first date, so I wanted to make it special for her. This recipe makes enough to feed six people, but it can easily be halved for your next date night (with some pasta left over to enjoy the next day). Serves 6
3 teaspoons olive oil, divided
¾ cup sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped, plus 1½ teaspoons sun-dried tomato oil
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
3 (8-ounce) packages baby bella (cremini) mushrooms, sliced
3 cups heavy cream
1½ tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 (1-pound) boxes cavatappi pasta
1 bunch parsley, chopped, for garnish
1.Heat 1½ teaspoons of the olive oil and the tomato oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken breasts with the Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper, then add the chicken to the pan and sauté until it is cooked through and no longer pink, 6–8 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
2.Heat the remaining 1½ teaspoons olive oil in the same pan, still over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté until lightly browned on the edges and tender, 3–4 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to the plate with the chicken.
3.In a medium bowl, whisk together the cream, cornstarch, and Parmesan. Add the cream mixture to the pan, lower the heat to medium, and whisk the mixture until it comes to a simmer. Let it simmer until it is thickened, 15–20 minutes.
4.While the cream mixture is simmering, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Generously salt the boiling water, then add the pasta. Cook the pasta until al dente, 9–10 minutes or the recommended time on the box. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
5.While the pasta is cooking, add the sun-dried tomatoes to the thickened cream sauce. Return the chicken and mushrooms to the pan and stir to coat everything evenly with the sauce.
6.Pour the chicken and cream sauce mixture into the pot of pasta and stir to combine everything thoroughly. Spoon portions of pasta and chicken into serving dishes and garnish with the parsley.