Sweet, spicy, and creamy pasta dish with chicken, cherries, jalapeño, basil, and Parmesan—bright flavors perfect for dinner.
# What You'll Need:
→ Proteins
01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 14 oz), cut into bite-sized pieces
→ Produce
02 - 1 cup fresh sweet cherries, pitted and halved
03 - 1 large jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 small red onion, finely chopped
06 - 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
07 - Zest of 1 lemon
→ Pasta
08 - 12 oz penne or fusilli pasta
→ Dairy
09 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
10 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
→ Pantry
11 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
12 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
13 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for pasta water
14 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
15 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
# How to make it:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.
02 - Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
03 - Season chicken pieces with salt and black pepper. Sauté in the skillet until golden and cooked through, 5–7 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
04 - Add remaining olive oil to the skillet. Sauté red onion and jalapeño for 2–3 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
05 - Fold in cherries and lemon zest, cooking for 2 minutes until cherries soften slightly.
06 - Return chicken to skillet. Lower heat to medium. Pour in heavy cream and stir to combine. Let simmer for 2–3 minutes.
07 - Add cooked pasta and Parmesan cheese to the skillet. Toss everything together, adding reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a creamy consistency.
08 - Remove pan from heat. Stir in fresh basil and, if desired, crushed red pepper flakes. Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve immediately, garnished with extra basil and Parmesan.
