Chicken Parm Pasta Toss

Makes 4 servings

candace

Chicken Parmesan transformed into a one dish pasta toss.

ingredients

Salt
1 pound whole wheat penne
3 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, chopped into bite-size pieces
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
Black pepper
2 to 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped or grated
1 large red onion, chopped
2 pints grape tomatoes
2 cups basil, chopped
3 cups arugula or baby arugula, roughly chopped
1 cup shredded Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

1
Fill a large pasta pot with water and place it over high heat. Once the water comes up to a boil, salt it and drop in the pasta. Cook the pasta to al dente according to package directions. Before draining the pasta, reserve a mugful of starchy cooking water, then drain and reserve.
2
While the water is coming up to a boil, place a large skillet over high heat with 3 turns of the pan of EVOO, about 3 tablespoons. Season the chicken pieces with the poultry seasoning, salt and pepper then add it to the preheated skillet. Cook the chicken until golden brown and cooked through, 4 minutes per side.
3
Once the chicken is brown, add the onions to the pan, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, cook a couple of minutes more then add the tomatoes and cover the pan with a lid. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes burst open and begin to release their juices, about 6-7 minutes (if they haven’t started to burst open by that time, mash them lightly with a potato masher or wooden spoon). Season the mixture with salt and pepper.
4
Add the drained pasta and reserved starchy cooking water to the skillet with the chicken and tomatoes, and toss over the heat until combined, about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the basil, arugula, and cheese. Serve.