Pasta with Sun-dried Tomato Cream Sauce and Parmesan Chicken

My cousin was talking about a dish she loves at a restaurant that had sun-dried tomato cream sauce on it.  I was about drooling thinking about it.  So, I set to work to make my own.  It was delicious!  Not sure if it can compare with the one she loves from her restaurant, but we sure loved it.  Pretty easy dish too!

PASTA WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATO CREAM SAUCE AND PARMESAN CHICKEN

INGREDIENTS:

• box of pasta, cooked
• small sweet onion or half of a large, diced fine
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 TBSP olive oil
• 1 TBSP butter
• 1/4-1/3 cup cognac or brandy
• 1 cup cream
• 1/3 cup jarred spaghetti sauce
• 1/2-3/4 cup julienned sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained (I eyeballed it)
• 4 slices provolone cheese, torn into small pieces
• 1/3-1/2 cup fresh chopped basil
• couple TBSP fresh chopped parsley
• good parmesan cheese
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Place onion, 1 TBSP olive oil and a TBSP butter in a large saucepan and cook over med. heat until onion is very tender and sweet, about 10 minutes.  Add minced garlic, and let cook another minute.  Deglaze pan with brandy/cognac and let simmer for a minute.  Add cream and jarred sauce.  I patted my sun-dried tomatoes with paper towels and then added them.  Turn heat to low or med low.  You want it to steep and get very warm but not boil.  Let it hang out over the heat while you cook the chicken and pasta. 
Cook you pasta and while it is cooking, cut chicken in bite size pieces and dip it in some parmesan cheese.  In a skillet, over med-high heat place another TBSP olive oil and place parmesan covered chicken.  Season with salt and pepper and add some more garlic if you want.  Cook chicken until browned lightly and cooked through.  Will cook up pretty quick.  If needed, deglaze with some more brandy/cognac or white wine.  Turn heat to low.  Back to the sauce.

Add the provolone pieces to cream and mix constantly until it is melted in.  Add a handful of parmesan cheese and the basil and parsley and pepper.  Toss pasta in with chicken and the sauce over the top in the skillet.  Mix, and let sit for a minute to let all the glorious flavors meld.  Top with more parmesan cheese and serve with a crusty bread.