Pasta with Maple Mustard Chicken

Make a marinade for the chicken by heating 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the garlic in the oil for just 30 seconds. Add the herbs and vinegar and cook for 30 seconds more. Pour the mixture into a small bowl to cool, then whisk in the maple syrup and mustard.

Place the chicken in a glass baking dish and pour in the marinade. Turn the meat once to coat it. Cover the bowl and chill the chicken for at least 1 hour or overnight.

Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, remove the chicken from the glass dish, saving the marinade, and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the skillet and sauté it for 2 minutes on each side to seal in the juices. Reduce the heat to medium and continue heating the chicken until it is cooked through and browned, about 6 minutes.

Then transfer the chicken to a cutting board and cut it into bite-size cubes. Next you will be using the cooking juices that have browned in the skillet to make a glaze, a procedure that's called deglazing the pan. Start by adding 1/2 cup of the chicken stock to the skillet and simmering it until it reduces by half. Add the remaining chicken stock and the reserved marinade and bring the mixture to a boil. Continue cooking at a simmer until the liquid has thickened, 5 or more minutes.

Combine the chicken cubes, roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, snow peas, and cooked penne in a large bowl. Pour in the sauce and toss the pasta to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Makes 4 servings.