Recipe: Pasta with Chicken and Squash

By Nancy Caivano

Pasta with Chicken and Squash

Serves 6

Ingredients:
1 pound pasta (I prefer rotelle with this, but any pasta will work)
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
salt
pepper
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
All purpose flour
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced (or 2 teaspoons minced garlic from a jar)
2 zucchini, julienned
2 yellow summer squash, julienned
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup dried tomatoes, reconstituted and
julienned (or 1/2 cup jar tomatoes, drained well and julienned)
1/4 cup parsley, chopped (or 2 tablespoons dried)
2 tablespoons basil, julienned (or 1 teaspoon dried)
2 tablespoons rosemary, finely chopped (or 1/2 teaspoon dry)
3/4 cup grated pecorino romano cheese (or parmesan)

Method: Cook pasta in large pot of boiling, salted water until al dente; drain. Meanwhile, season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large, nonstick skillet over med-high heat.

Dredge chicken in flour, shaking off excess. sauté until well browned and cooked through. Drain on paper towels. When cool enough to handle, cut into slices. Set aside.

In the same skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is tender. Add both squashes and cook until golden brown. Season with salt and pepper.

Add wine and chicken stock and cook on high heat until reduced by half. Add chicken and tomatoes, and cook 5 minutes more. Return drained pasta to pot. Add parseley, basil, and rosemary to chicken mixture and combine well. Add contents of skillet to pasta, toss well. Add grated cheese, toss well to combine and serve immediately, passing extra grated cheese.

Note: you can change the squash to include only one variety if you happen to have it in abundance, plus you can increase the amount of either squash if you like.