Penne and Chicken Tenderloins with Spiced Tomato Sauce

I saved this recipe a while back and I guess I didn't read the reviews or I would not have done so. Fortunately I decided to take a look at the reviews before I made it and since I had all the ingredients ready to go I just went ahead and made modifications based on the reviews. Surprisingly it was very good. I did the chicken/rub as instructed but I did leave the rubbed chicken in the fridge for a few hours. I used a dutch oven for cooking because, contrary to the recipe, you don't get browned bits in a non-stick pan and browned bits add flavor. I cooked the chicken longer so it was pretty much fully cooked before I set it aside. I added an onion with the garlic, used one can of diced tomatoes with garlic/basil/oregano and 1/2 cup red wine for the sauce. It was still watery to start. I added some red pepper flakes, balsamic vinegar and a few shakes of a salt free Penzey's spice mix to taste to overcome the blandness. Once I was satisfied with the flavor I added the chicken back in and simmered while I cooked the pasta. I mixed the pasta in and let it sit in the pot on low for a while. The sauce then thickened and clung nicely to the pasta and chicken - not a lot of sauce so it wasn't floating in it and nothing watery about it. I actually think I will make it again and make note of how much additional seasoning I add.

The recipe calls for drained tomatoes

Delicious! Added a sprinkle of red pepper flakes and let the sauce cool down a bit to thicken and mashed the tomatoes a bit.The fennel on the chicken was really tasty.

I wish I could give this no stars! This was horrible and I don't understand all the great reviews!! The chicken cooked with the rub on it was tasty but I should have stopped there! I followed the directions exactly, tasted it and hated it, my husband tasted it and hated it, my son tasted it and hated it. We all agreed there was no way of repairing this dish so I threw it away and ordered pizza. 

This is simple, flavorful and delicious!  It is a staple at our household.  Easy to make too.

Easy, delicious, great reheated. Chicken stayed moist. Used tenderloins and fire roasted diced tomatoes.

This is a good base to doctor up; as another reviewer stated prepared as is it would be a little bland. I added a tablespoon of tomato paste, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder and italian seasoning, also added 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinagar. Enjoyed it with those additions.

After the chicken, I first sauteed onion and some chopped green and red peppers, then added the garlic and 3 cans of DRAINED tomatoes. Probably used more garlic, salt and pepper than stated. I let it simmer for much longer. At first it did taste bland but after simmering, the flavors really came out. The fennel and coriander were perfect on the chicken. I did need to add a small amount of the reserved juice from the tomatoes right before I added the chicken. It was a hit at a family dinner. Loved it! Don't skip the fresh basil and Parmesan. I also used about a half a cup of red wine to deglaze the pan.

This was pretty good and easy!

This recipe is a staple at our house. I use whole fennel seed and coriander and grind them fresh. For the tomatoes I've been happy with Hunt's fire roasted diced tomatoes. Not sure why all the low ratings. This isn't supposed to be a hot, spicy dish. The fresh basil absolutely makes it.

Made this tonight. It was ok. I had to add a ton of spices and some onion and peppers to the sauce to give it flavor. I don't think I would make this again. My family ate it... politely. ;-)

Delicious! Added a sprinkle of red pepper flakes and let the sauce cool down a bit to thicken and mashed the tomatoes a bit. The fennel on the chicken was really tasty.

This was just ok and yes, the sauce was too watery. If I made it again, I'd definitely drain the tomatoes. I wasn't big on the fennel-flavor and would use red wine instead of white if I made it again. Though I probably won't. Cooking Light has many much better pasta dishes to choose from. Even my 16 year old was pretty bored by it and she'll eat anything with pasta.

I don't understand why some reviewers say this dish is bland or boring. I added some diced onion and green pepper and the flavors were outstanding. I agree with Jazzy1...the flavors were even better on the second day.

Masth

Very good. After reading the reviews I made a few changes. I didn't have the fennel seed but I added italian seasoning, garlic powder, and onion powder to the chicken and the sauce. i also added a little ground cumin and red pepper flakes to the sauce...family likes things spicy. Simmered the sauce for about 45 minutes to give it time to thicken before adding the cooked chicken. Served with spinach. I've had a bottle of white cooking wine sitting in my pantry for ages and didn't know what to do with it. Will try this next time with the fennel seed to see what it does to the flavor. And much tastier as leftovers.

1. Made again and this time I used fennel. Recipe turned out much better. I used rotini, and it absorbed more of the sauce. 2. This was okay, but didn't bowl me over. Sauce is watery. I did make some changes based on comments. I added a good dose of italian seasoning to the sauce. I didn't have any fennel, so I used five spice powder. I enjoyed the flavors better on the second day. If I make again, I will add a little tomato paste to help thicken the sauce.

Boneless skinless chicken thighs soak up the flavor better.

Despite doubling the spices, the chicken wasn't spicy at all and the overall flavor of the dish was boring.

we just loved this, did not have penne, so used fettucini. will make again for sure.

Delicious! I did have fennel seed and coriader and it was wonderful.

sauce a little watery but otherwise great. Outstanding taste. Used chicken breast instead of tenders.

Family enjoyed...good flavor. I think the fennel seed really added flavor, but I had to crush whole seeds, a little extra work, but it worked!

Simple but delicious. Did not have fennel, so used thyme. nice flavour. I like spicier food than my husband, but we both enjoyed it. Will make this again and again.

OK - I did not have the Fennel and I did not have the Coriander- But as good as this was without them,I can not think how it could be any better !

Really good recipe! I didn't have fennel seed or coriander, so I replaced it with 1/2 tsp. of ground cumin and I also added the red pepper flakes and some garlic powder like previous people had mentioned. With just a few changes, this recipe turn out delicious!

Very Good! Excellent flavor. I skipped the fennel, used only 1 clove of garlic, cut the wine to 1/2 cup and it was still full of flavor.

The sauce coated the pasta well and had a pleasant taste. The chicken was okay. It smelled better than it tasted.

We loved this. I did double the garlic and added some crushed red peppers and garlic powder to both the chicken and the sauce. This was simple, flavorful and kid/adult friendly! Will definitely make again!

I made this recipe last night for my girlfriend and I. We both really enjoyed it, although we definitely thought it needed some red pepper flakes to spice it up a bit more (we found it just ever so slightly bland at first). I also didn't pay close enough attention to the instructions and completely mistimed it (forgot the 20 minutes of simmering the sauce), so make sure to watch out for that. Overall, super yummy! Will make again!

Wasn't impressed. Maybe my expectations were just too high since it was so highly rated. Not sure what was "wrong," if anything. Just not for us!

I've made this twice already....the second time I used shrimp! It's AWESOME either way! I follow the recipe with no changes and DH & I can't get enough. Using the shrimp helps make it a little more special. I serve it with a nice, tossed salad. It's DEFINITELY in my "make it again" file!

Bland, bland, bland. I bought the best Parm-Regg at the local market, buy small quantities of fresh spices (Penzeys) and even used Muir Glen fire roasted tomatoes that always work. Simply a boring dish.

My husband, son (6 year old) and I really liked this recipe and I would definitely make it again. I was on the phone for pretty much the entire time I was making this and it still tasted great; and that's saying something! I had fennel seed on hand so I ground it up with mortar and pestle. I used (4) 14-oz cans of unseasoned, diced tomatoes, but that's only because I read some of the reviews and thought better to have more rather than less. In hindsight, I think I would have preferred the 4 cups (or 3 cans) that the recipe actually called for. I used the Brown Rice Pasta Fusili from Trader Joe's (because that's what I had and I wasn't making a trip to the store) and was thrilled that you couldn't tell the difference once tossed with the sauce. This really is one recipe that does not need modifying.

My family really liked this recipe. I used fennel seed because I could not find ground fennel. I used chicken breasts rather than tenders since it is cut up in chuncks anyway. Since I used 2 large cans diced tomatos, blended, I added a little more of the remaining sauce ingredients to accommodate for the extra tomato. I used grated parmesan and 16 oz. whole wheat penne. I will be adding this recipe to our menu rotation and wouldn't hesitate serving it to casual company.

The four cups of diced tomatoes came to be three cans. Next time will use four cans as it was a llittle dry. A wonderful taste. A definite repeat.

Excellent recipe. I used regular chicken breast. I did not have any ground fennel so I used fennel seed, which added an interesting spice to this dish. I served over whole grain penne. Very easy recipe. I will defintiely make again.

Great recipe and very easy. It ended up being a bit salty, but that may have been because I used the seasoned crushed tomatoes.

This recipe was very tasty and my husband who is not fond of pasta dishes is begging me to prepare it again. I used 2 cans stewed tomatoes and 2 cans diced tomatoes. Also I used peccorino cheese since that was what I had on hand. I served with salad and french bread. I will definitely prepare again soon. It's a KEEPER !!