Recipe: Cheesy Chicken Pasta

I came up with this on a whim Monday night. I wasn't too sure how it would turn out & was pleasantly surprised. Pat loved it - I would have preferred it if I hadn't over-cooked the pasta (it was a touch mushy for me). Quick & simple - plus it's easy to substitute whatever meat, vegetable & cheese you have on hand.

Cheesy Chicken Pasta

Ingredients:

1 red pepper

3 celery stalks

1 onion

3 garlic cloves

2 chicken breasts

1 can chopped tomatoes

1 can tomato paste

olive oil

seasonings: salt, pepper, oregano, basil, parsley

2 cups cheese (mozzarella, Brie, Parmesan)

Methods:

1. Slice the red pepper, onion & celery. Chop the garlic or use a garlic press. Fry together in a little bit of olive oil on medium heat - season as desired. Remove from the pan once the veggies start looking a little soft - about 5 minutes.

2. Chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Season. Fry on medium-high heat until brown & cooked through.

3. Meanwhile, start a large pot of water to boil. Cook around 4 servings of your favourite spaghetti/spaghettini/linguine until al dente. I used capellini - the skinny noodles gave the dish a nice texture.

4. Add the veggies to the chicken. Add in the tomatoes & tomato paste. Simmer on medium for about 15 minutes.

5. Grate the cheese (cut Brie into small cubes).

Stir it in. Warm on low for 5 more minutes. (This picture was taken before I added in the tomato paste - it should be a bit let watery.)

6. Stir in the cooked & drained pasta. Serve immediately.