Get a well-salted pot of water boiling, add the penne, and cook about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside it goes into the sauce later, not now.

Drizzle a little oil over the thighs and season both sides with paprika, black pepper, salt, and Italian seasoning. Actually rub it in so it sticks, don't just sprinkle and hope.

Melt the butter with the sun-dried tomato oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. That oil smells incredible the second it hits hot butter, genuinely stop and notice it. Add the chicken thighs and cook a full 7 minutes per side don't rush this part, I learned that one already so you don't have to. Once there's no pink left, pull them onto a plate and set aside.

Lower the heat to medium-low. In the same pan, with all those chicken drippings still sitting there, add the diced onion and stir about a minute until it softens. Add the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes and let them cook together another minute.

Pour in the heavy cream, season again with a little more salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Whisk in the parmesan until it melts and the sauce goes smooth. Let it simmer about 8 minutes to thicken it should coat the back of a spoon, not run right off it, and not be so thick it looks like paste either.

While the sauce simmers, shred the chicken with two forks. Thighs pull apart easily and stay juicy in a way breasts just don't do as reliably.

Add the shredded chicken and cooked penne to the sauce, stir until coated, then transfer everything to a baking dish. Spread it out evenly and top with a generous layer of mozzarella. Bake uncovered at 400°F for 20 minutes, until the top is golden and bubbly. Scatter fresh parsley over it when it comes out.