Baked Penne with Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Ingredients

1. 6 tablespoons butter, plus more for baking dishes
2. coarse salt and ground pepper
3. 1 pound penne rigate
4. 1 teaspoon olive oil
5. 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (8 ounces each), halved horizontally
6. 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
7. 4 garlic cloves, minced
8. 6 cups whole milk
9. 10 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
10. 1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and thinly sliced
11. 1 1/2 cups shredded provolone (6 ounces)
12. 1 cup finely grated Parmesan (4 ounces)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400. Butter two shallow 2-quart baking dishes. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta 3 minutes short of al dente; drain pasta, and return to pot.
2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Season chicken with salt and pepper; cook until opaque throughout, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Halve each piece lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise.
3. In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, melt butter over medium. Add flour and garlic; cook, whisking, 1 minute. While whisking, gradually add milk; bring to a simmer, whisking frequently. Add mushrooms and tomatoes; cook 1 minute. Off heat, gradually stir in provolone and 1/2 cup Parmesan.
4. Add chicken and pasta to pot; season with salt and pepper. Divide pasta mixture between baking dishes; sprinkle each with cup Parmesan.
5. Bake, uncovered, until top is golden and bubbling, about 25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
6. Prepare through step 4; let cool. Cover tightly with foil, and freeze, up to 3 months.
7. Preheat oven to 400, and bake (still covered in foil) on a rimmed baking sheet until center is hot, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove foil; bake until golden, about 15 minutes more.

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