One Pot Tomato-Zucchini Pasta with Grilled Chicken

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 2¾ cups vegetable stock
• 12 oz medium pasta shells*
• 2 medium zucchini, cut into ½-inch cubes
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 4 oz mascarpone, crème fraîche or softened cream cheese
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup (packed) thinly sliced basil
• 2 large chicken breasts, boneless/skinless
• Kosher salt and black pepper

Step 1:

Pat chicken dry with paper towel. Cut chicken breasts into bite-size pieces or slice into ‘tenders.’ Season with salt & pepper. Heat 2 T. olive oil in fry pan, add chicken, turning as needed, cook until lightly browned. Remove from pan and set aside.

Step 2:

In a large, deep 12-inch skillet, bring stock to a boil over high heat. Once stock boils, stir in pasta and reduce the heat to medium-high. After five minutes, add zucchini, tomatoes, garlic and basil; season generously with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until pasta is tender and liquid is reduced, 10-13 minutes. Add mascarpone, stir until thickened and creamy, adding a splash of vegetable stock during the last few minutes of cooking if needed to moisten. Add chicken. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve immediately.

*Choose your favorite short pasta shape, ie: fusilli, gemelli, cavatappi, penne, farfalle, etc.

Note: This recipe makes big portions. I cut it in half and got three big servings. You might need extra vegetable stock during the cooking process. I like it extra creamy so I doubled the mascarpone!