Farfalle with Chicken and Diced Tomatoes

 

Once again I find myself ready to cook dinner but without a plan. I had some chicken breasts in the fridge that I planned on seperating and marinating to put on the grill during the week. Key word there is planned. I wanted to do it, I really meant to but it didn't happen. As usual, I found myself looking inside my pantry to see what I could come up with. I know I keep telling you that you need to keep a well-stocked pantry but I haven't filled you in on exactly what I keep in mind. It's coming. I promise. In fact, I have the post all written up and waiting to be published. I just need to take a good picture. At some point next week the post will be up and I'm just giving you fair warning, it's a pretty long one.

Tonight I had chicken defrosted which isn't usually the case when I have to throw something together without a plan and it definitely came in handy. As always, you can substitute pretty much everything. Use whatever pasta you like, fresh tomatoes, diced tomatoes, petite diced, etc. You can change the peas and cannellini beans to artichoke hearts and mushrooms. The key here is use what YOU have in your pantry. Here's what I did.

Farfalle with Chicken and Diced Tomatoes

Ingredients:

1 lb farfalle pasta
1-14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 - 15 oz can cannellini beans, rinsed (I only used half of the can)
1-2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces (I used one large)
2 cubes Dorat frozen basil or a handful of fresh basil, torn into pieces
a handful of frozen peas
1/4 cup white wine
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, cracked (to flavor the oil and chicken)
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1/2 cup part skim ricotta
salt and pepper
extra virgin olive oil

1. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. In a medium saute pan (I use a "chicken fryer"). Saute chicken and cracked cloves of garlic in extra virgin olive oil. Remove chicken to a plate and discard garlic.

2. In same pan add diced onions and sliced garlic and saute until onions are translucent but do not let the garlic burn. Add white wine to deglaze pan while using a wooden spoon to pick up anything the chicken left behind.

3. Add diced tomatoes and basil. Season with salt and pepper and then cover. Let the sauce simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the raw tomato taste is gone.

4. Add beans, peas and cooked chicken with any accumulated juices, until heated through (about 5 minutes).

5. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in salted water. When pasta is al dente toss with sauce adding a little pasta water if the sauce is too thick or needs to be stretched. At this time add ricotta to hot pasta and sauce and stir to combine.

 

Farfalle with Chicken and Diced Tomatoes

 

Once again I find myself ready to cook dinner but without a plan. I had some chicken breasts in the fridge that I planned on seperating and marinating to put on the grill during the week. Key word there is planned. I wanted to do it, I really meant to but it didn't happen. As usual, I found myself looking inside my pantry to see what I could come up with. I know I keep telling you that you need to keep a well-stocked pantry but I haven't filled you in on exactly what I keep in mind. It's coming. I promise. In fact, I have the post all written up and waiting to be published. I just need to take a good picture. At some point next week the post will be up and I'm just giving you fair warning, it's a pretty long one.

Tonight I had chicken defrosted which isn't usually the case when I have to throw something together without a plan and it definitely came in handy. As always, you can substitute pretty much everything. Use whatever pasta you like, fresh tomatoes, diced tomatoes, petite diced, etc. You can change the peas and cannellini beans to artichoke hearts and mushrooms. The key here is use what YOU have in your pantry. Here's what I did.

Farfalle with Chicken and Diced Tomatoes

Ingredients:

1 lb farfalle pasta
1-14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 - 15 oz can cannellini beans, rinsed (I only used half of the can)
1-2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces (I used one large)
2 cubes Dorat frozen basil or a handful of fresh basil, torn into pieces
a handful of frozen peas
1/4 cup white wine
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, cracked (to flavor the oil and chicken)
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1/2 cup part skim ricotta
salt and pepper
extra virgin olive oil

1. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. In a medium saute pan (I use a "chicken fryer"). Saute chicken and cracked cloves of garlic in extra virgin olive oil. Remove chicken to a plate and discard garlic.

2. In same pan add diced onions and sliced garlic and saute until onions are translucent but do not let the garlic burn. Add white wine to deglaze pan while using a wooden spoon to pick up anything the chicken left behind.

3. Add diced tomatoes and basil. Season with salt and pepper and then cover. Let the sauce simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the raw tomato taste is gone.

4. Add beans, peas and cooked chicken with any accumulated juices, until heated through (about 5 minutes).

5. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in salted water. When pasta is al dente toss with sauce adding a little pasta water if the sauce is too thick or needs to be stretched. At this time add ricotta to hot pasta and sauce and stir to combine.

 

Another Pantry Meal - Ziti Picchi Pacchi

 

Last week I went to my friend Gina's house and showed her how to throw together a pantry meal. Her pantry is well stocked and it was easy to come up with a quick dish. Gina and I like a lot of the same foods and like me she has kalamata olives in her fridge. I realize that I use them a lot and you all must be tired of seeing them in my recipes. If you don't like them leave them out and put in whatever you like, maybe some artichoke hearts! Yum! I call this picchi pacchi because it's made with diced tomatoes and basil and I've seen variations of this but they all contain diced tomatoes.

Gina and I have different preferences when it comes to pasta. I will always choose lined pasta such as penne over ziti. I just feel like the sauce sticks better because it fills up the the ridges. It really doesn't matter though, this dish was delicious!

Ziti with Pantry Sauce


Ingredients:

1 lb pasta
1 medium onion, diced
2 teaspoons chopped garlic (Dorat frozen cubes from Trader Joes)
2 teaspoons of chopped basil (Dorat frozen cubes from Trader Joes)
2 - 16 ounce cans petite diced tomatoes
1/2 cup kalamata olives, chopped
1 tablespoon capers
Splash of white wine
extra virgin olive oil
Salt and Pepper

Directions:


In a medium saucepan saute onion and garlic in extra virgin olive oil. Add garlic and basil and stir (frozen cubes will melt and cook quickly). Add a spalsh of white wine and let the alcohol cook out (about a minute or so). Add tomatoes, capers and olives, stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper and cook for about 20- 30 minutes. About halfway into cooking time, add pasta to boiling salted water. When pasta is al dente combine it in the pan with sauce. Toss to combine sauce with pasta.



 

Another Pantry Meal - Ziti Picchi Pacchi

 

Last week I went to my friend Gina's house and showed her how to throw together a pantry meal. Her pantry is well stocked and it was easy to come up with a quick dish. Gina and I like a lot of the same foods and like me she has kalamata olives in her fridge. I realize that I use them a lot and you all must be tired of seeing them in my recipes. If you don't like them leave them out and put in whatever you like, maybe some artichoke hearts! Yum! I call this picchi pacchi because it's made with diced tomatoes and basil and I've seen variations of this but they all contain diced tomatoes.

Gina and I have different preferences when it comes to pasta. I will always choose lined pasta such as penne over ziti. I just feel like the sauce sticks better because it fills up the the ridges. It really doesn't matter though, this dish was delicious!

Ziti with Pantry Sauce


Ingredients:

1 lb pasta
1 medium onion, diced
2 teaspoons chopped garlic (Dorat frozen cubes from Trader Joes)
2 teaspoons of chopped basil (Dorat frozen cubes from Trader Joes)
2 - 16 ounce cans petite diced tomatoes
1/2 cup kalamata olives, chopped
1 tablespoon capers
Splash of white wine
extra virgin olive oil
Salt and Pepper

Directions:


In a medium saucepan saute onion and garlic in extra virgin olive oil. Add garlic and basil and stir (frozen cubes will melt and cook quickly). Add a spalsh of white wine and let the alcohol cook out (about a minute or so). Add tomatoes, capers and olives, stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper and cook for about 20- 30 minutes. About halfway into cooking time, add pasta to boiling salted water. When pasta is al dente combine it in the pan with sauce. Toss to combine sauce with pasta.