RECIPE: Rustic Mediterranean Chicken Pasta

I love artichokes. I mean…. L.O.V.E. However, I often scratch my head and wonder what to do with them. So, one night, I got a little creative with the cans in my pantry and the lonely plum tomato on the counter.

The result was a hearty, delicious pasta with a Mediterranean taste.

The full ingredients list is listed below but hold on tight while I give you a little photo tutorial.

Start a pot of water to boiling. When it begins to boil, add your spaghetti and cook according to the package directions.

Meanwhile, set your skillet to heating and season your chicken well with salt, pepper and dried oregano. Rocco DiSpirito once said that the difference between a home dish and a restaurant dish is that the home chef does not use enough seasoning. So, rub that chicken down well. (Use moderation with the salt.)

When your skillet is hot, add the olive oil and then the chicken. Brown the chicken on both sides, cooking until almost done. Then, remove the chicken, dice it into chunks and return it to the skillet.

You might be wondering why I cook it this way. Personally, I hate cutting raw chicken. Plus, I hate cooking in batches and if I added all of the chicken chunks to a skillet at once, it would steam and not brown. I want that browning flavor so this is my little shortcut.

With the chicken, add the mushrooms, chickpeas, artichokes, black olives, tomato, dried oregano, and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat, cover and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes.

When the spaghetti is done, toss with butter.

Taste the chicken mixture and adjust the salt and pepper if needed. Serve over the spaghetti.

Enjoy!

Linked with love at Mingle Monday and The Mommy Club.