Penne with Chicken, Wild Mushrooms and Peas

Ingredients

• 1-ounce dried porcini mushrooms
• 1 cup hot water
• 1 pound penne pasta
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 leek, rinsed well and chopped
• 1 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms
• 1 heaping cup cooked chicken
• 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
• 1 1/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/2 cup frozen green peas
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• Salt
• Ground black pepper

Directions

Soak dried porcini mushrooms in hot water for 15 minutes, until soft.

Cook penne according to package directions.

While penne is cooking, heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add leeks and cook for 2 minutes, or until soft. Add shiitake mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes, until mushrooms soften. Strain porcini mushrooms through a sieve, reserving soaking liquid. Chop porcini mushrooms and add to skillet. Add chicken and tarragon and cook 1 minute, until tarragon is fragrant.

Add reserved mushroom soaking liquid and 1 cup of the chicken broth and bring to a simmer, for 5 minutes. In a small bowl, using a whisk, dissolve cornstarch in remaining 1/4 cup chicken broth and add to the pan with the peas. Simmer 2 minutes until it reaches a full boil, and the sauce thickens. Stir in cooked penne and cook 1 minute to heat through. Remove from heat and stir in parsley. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.