Thursday, April 23, 2015

Week 17: Tomato-Basil Chicken Pasta

The Recipe
2 chicken breasts (~1lb)
Salt and pepper
Oregano and thyme according to taste
2-3 tbsp olive oil
2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes (about 4-5 tomatoes)
1 bell pepper
3 cloves garlic
~60g cold butter
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
Parmesan cheese
Pasta

Boil pasta according to the instructions on the package.

Meanwhile, season chicken breasts with oregano, thyme, salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Add the olive oil to the skillet and turn it up high. Let it get really HOT before adding the chicken.
Brown the chicken for 1 minute on each side, then turn the heat down to medium high and cook for another 4 minutes on each side - less if the chicken pieces are thinner, remove from skillet and cut into slices. Return to skillet and cook until almost done.

Add the tomatoes and bell pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the fresh basil and garlic and cook for another few minutes. Add the butter and let it melt - this will turn the sauce nice and silky.

Season with salt, pepper and tabasco (optional) according to taste. Pour over the pasta, mix and serve with parmesan cheese for garnish.

The Verdict
My first new recipe in a long while, and fortunately it was a great one! I just used dry pasta, and it still tasted amazing - would probably have been amazing with fresh pasta! Definitely something I'll be making again!