Creamy Chicken Pesto

Oh, yes. If you do not groan when you take the first bite, well, you do not fully appreciate food. This is so delicious. And honestly it is really easy. The only catch is that Romano cheese and prepared pesto can be spendy. I bought mine at Costco, saved money and was able to make this twice! It would be good with sundried tomatoes, but I didn't want to break the bank. Also, buy chopped garlic in a jar. SO much easier to use and keeps longer. Just do it. You'll be glad you did.

1 (16 ounce) package penne pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
8 cloves garlic, chopped
½ cup butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1 pinch salt
1 pinch pepper
1 ½ cups grated Romano cheese
1 cup prepared basil pesto
1 can artichoke hearts, drained
2-3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions; drain.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion until tender and translucent. Stir in garlic and butter, and saute until garlic is soft and fragrant, about 1 minute. Dissolve flour in milk, then stir in. Season with salt and pepper, and simmer 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Add cheese, and stir until melted. Stir in pesto, then chicken and artichokes. (And sundried tomatoes if you wanted...)
Serves 8-ish. I halved it for Klane and I.