This recipe is great for those on the 2, 3 and even 4 plan. If you’re on the 4 plan just cut out the pasta and you have an equally tasty chicken in spicy arribbiata sauce which you can bulk up with extra veggies or courgetti! This recipe and others are adapted from the Ideal Home Show seasonal cook book. To grab your copy, click here.

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 15 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 large onion, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, chopped

400g can chopped tomatoes

100ml red wine (optional)

1 -2 red chillies, deseeded and finely sliced or chopped

1 tsp dried thyme

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

200g mushrooms quartered

350g chicken breasts cut into strips

400g pasta, such as farfalle, penne or rigatoni

Fresh basil

The option of grated cheese (see your meal matrix for measurements)

 

1 Add your onion to a pan with some fry light and cook on a medium to low temperature for around 15 minutes until softened.

 

2. Stir in the garlic and cook for a minute.

 

3. Pour the chopped tomatoes into the pan with wine if you’ve chosen to use it.

 

4. Add the chillies and thyme and season well.

 

5. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for around 5 minutes.

 

6. Add your mushrooms and cook for a further 10 minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened

 

7. Add the strips of chicken and keep on the heat until the chicken is cooked through – around 5-7 minutes.

 

8. While you are waiting for the chicken to cook the pasta in a big pan of boiling salt water. Once cooked drain well and add to a large bowl adding your chicken and spicy arribiata sauce and mixing well.

 

9.Plate up adding a few basil leaves for extra taste and decoration, with a sprinkle of cheese if your plan allows it.

 

Top tip: This is a great dish for an easy weekday dinner, especially if you have left over chicken as this makes it even quicker!