We had our first 90 degree day this week and I was so not ready for it! I bet the electric bill I just paid will be my last “low” one till the Fall! When it’s heating up outside, the last thing I want to do is to heat the house up more by turning on the oven! I whipped up this no-fuss meal in no time! It’s high on flavor, low in calories and if you use a pasta that is either whole wheat one that has extra fiber it in, all the better for you! It’s so versatile too – change up the vegetables to suit your tastes or for what you have on hand. Use a different pasta or even replace the chicken with shrimp. I love recipes like this because you can literally make it a couple nights of the week and it won’t be the same dish!
1 medium zucchini, sliced and quartered (1 inch quarter pieces)
12 oz box of spaghetti (I used Ronzoni Smart Taste)
2 cups grape tomatoes
4 – 6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
4 tbsp chopped fresh basil
Instructions:
Preheat your grill and over medium heat, grill the chicken breasts till they are done – about 15- 20 minutes depending on size and thickness. Chop into bite sized pieces, keep warm (cover with foil) and set aside.
While chicken is grilling – bring a large pot of water to boil and cook the spaghetti noodles according to the package directions. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Drain and keep warm. To keep the noodles warm, I simply place a lid over the strainer that I drained them in and it does a good job of keeping most of the heat in.
The pot that you cooked the noodles in can be used to finish cooking the whole meal or you can use a large skillet. I try not to make more dishes than I need so this one-pot meal is great!
In the pot, heat the olive oil on med-high heat. Add garlic, zucchini, and tomatoes (you can cut the tomatoes in half if you want to, I didn’t). Saute the garlic, zucchini, and tomatoes till the vegetables are tender yet a bit crisp. It doesn’t take long, maybe about 5-7 minutes.
Add the chicken back in, stir, and heat a minute or two. Add the spaghetti noodles to the mix and toss well letting the olive oil in the pan get all through the noodles. If the noodles seem a bit dry, add a little of the reserved pasta water and toss again.
Add the fresh basil and toss again. Serve and top with grated Parmesan cheese if desired.
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