Baked Penne with Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Since I had some sun-dried tomatoes left over from this pizza recipe, I googled the internet for recipes that included sun-dried tomatoes, and came up with this. It's really yummy. Super creamy. And makes a bunch. Everybody in my family loved it. (Original recipe found here.)

Ingredients:

• 6 tablespoons butter, plus more for greasing the baking dishes
• Salt ground pepper
• 1 pound penne pasta
• Shredded chicken, equal to 1-1/2 cups
• 1/2 cup flour
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 6 cups whole milk
• 10 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 cups shredded provolone
• 1 cup finely grated Parmesan

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease two shallow, 2-quart baking dishes with butter. In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil. Cook the penne until 3 minutes short of al dente. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
2. Using medium-high heat, warm the oil in a large skillet. Season the chicken halves with salt and pepper and place in the skillet. Cook until the chicken is opaque throughout (about 3 to 5 minutes on each side). Cut each piece in half lengthwise, and then slice thinly crosswise.
3. Using a heavy pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add the flour and garlic to the melted butter. Whisk the mixture as it cooks, gradually adding milk, for about a minute. Bring it to a simmer while continuing to whisk. Add the mushrooms and tomatoes and cook for another minute. Remove the pot from the burner and gradually stir in the provolone and half cup of Parmesan.
4. Add the chicken and pasta to the pot, and then divide the mixture between the two baking dishes. Sprinkle the tops with the rest of the Parmesan. Bake the dishes, uncovered, until golden brown and bubbling (about 25 minutes). Let the dish stand 5 minutes before serving.
5. Serve one dish and freeze the other -- it'll keep for up to three months.