Pasta with Grilled Chicken, Tomatoes, and Black Olives - Creative Cooking

I've been craving carbs like crazy. Sometimes a girl just wants her pasta.  We also had leftover grilled chicken.  What better way to get my carb fix than to whip up a tomatoey sauce for spaghetti along with the grilled chicken?  I can't think of much better than that! 

If we're having a busy week or, as in this week I've been sick, the hubster sometimes buys a giant pack of boneless, skinless chicken breasts and grills all of them at once so that we can store them in the fridge.  We warm them up, slice them up into sandwiches, or, as in this case, add them to other dishes.  I love combining them with other ingredients to make stir fry or toppings for pasta.  

These were ingredients I had in my pantry.  I made this because I wanted a sauce that was on the lighter side.  I also wasn't in the mood for a creamy sauce, so this is what I made.  It came out very well!

PASTA WITH CHICKEN, TOMATOES, AND BLACK OLIVES

1-2 grilled boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced

1 tablespoon cooking oil such as olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced 

1 medium onion, chopped 

1 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon basil 

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 can (14 oz?) Italian flavored diced tomatoes, drained (usually says flavored with basil, oregano, and onion)

sliced black olives

parmesan cheese to taste

 4-6 servings of spaghetti or other pasta, cooked

Place oil in large skillet and heat.  Add garlic, oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes.  Stir for a few seconds to heat and saturate spices.  Add chicken breast and onion. Stir to coat, and allow chicken to heat through, 1-2 minutes.  Add tomatoes, stir, then allow any liquid from the tomatoes to reduce down.  Serve over spaghetti, top with black olives, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Serve with crusty bread and salad.

Broke Food - Pasta with Garlic, Olive Oil, and Red Pepper Flakes

Simple dishes can often be some of the tastiest and most filling.  Spaghetti Aglio, Olio, e Peperoncino fits that bill.  Translated, that means spaghetti with garlic, oil, and red pepper flakes. Its rich flavors combined with pasta make this a decadent yet inexpensive dish to prepare.  

It can be eaten alone as a filling but light main dish.  It can also be be topped with grilled chicken, cooked Italian sausage, or other meat.  It also makes an excellent side dish to serve alongside other vegetables or meats.  

Sunday, when I was doing blog posts, this was my lunch!  It was tasty and filling but light enough that I did not feel like I had eaten a heavy meal.   

The recipe located HERE is similar to the method I was taught and as listed below. 

Spaghetti With Garlic, Oil, and Red Pepper Flakes

7 ounces of spaghetti
2 large or 3 small garlic cloves, minced (substitute garlic powder in a pinch)
1 1/2 teaspoons of chili pepper flakes
1/4 to 1/3 cup of extra-virgin olive oil (may use canola or other oil in a pinch)
3/4 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper

Directions

The measurements in this recipe can be shifted depending on your taste preferences.

1. Cook spaghetti according to the directions on the package, until it is al dente.
2. Strain spaghetti and place in a large serving dish.
3. Add minced garlic, chili pepper flakes, olive oil, salt, and pepper, and mix together well.
4. Serve warm or at room temperature.