Penne Rustica

Penne Rustica is one of my favorite dishes at Macaroni Grill. I have to say that this recipe comes pretty close to matching those flavors. Now I need a good recipe for their bread!

-Pimp My Dinner, with some slight modifications

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, grilled (marinate in olive oil and garlic salt overnight, then grill on barbecue for best flavor)
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3 slices bacon
1 tsp bacon drippings
1 tsp chopped garlic (2 cloves)
2 Tbs. apple juice + 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar +enough chicken broth to equal ½ cup
1 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups heavy cream
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1/2 box penne pasta
1/3 cup roasted red peppers (we prefer sun dried tomatoes)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 paprika

Cook bacon, remove from pan and set aside. Reserve 1 tsp. drippings, add garlic and sauté. Add apple juice mixture, mustard, salt, rosemary, and heavy cream. Cook over low heat until sauce has reduced by ½ (about the time it takes to bring water to boil and cook the pasta).

Cook pasta to al dente-approximately 9 minutes. Slice chicken into medium-bite size pieces. Combine sauce, reserved bacon, cooked pasta, diced chicken, and bell peppers (or sun dried tomatoes) and mix thoroughly. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and paprika. Pour into 9x9 baking dish and bake at 450 for 10 minutes.