Pasta with Chicken & Spinach Red Wine Sauce for PPN #100

Ruth over at Once Upon a Feast has been organizing Presto Pasta nights every Friday for over 2 years now. Even if I don't prepare pasta sometime over the week I always head to her site to find out what everyone has been up to. It's a great place to come across some delicious recipe ideas for those who are struggling to decide "what's for dinner"!!!!! She is the very first blogger I ever met before I even knew what a blog was. She is also a fellow Canadian blogging out of Halifax, Nova Scotia so if you haven't had the pleasure of visiting her blog please do!!!I don't eat pasta as often as I would like but I do enjoy participating in the Presto Pasta Nights event whenever I can!!!!

I hope you will all join Ruth in making this weeks Presto Pasta Nights a huge success. The event is already a huge success in it's own right but this week will be roundup #100!!!!! E-mail your favorite pasta recipe to Ruth directly at Once Upon a Feast at ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com

** Pasta with Chicken and Spinach Red Wine Sauce**

2 boneless skinless chicken thigh/breast, diced

2 cans (14 oz/398 mL) chopped tomatoes (can also use the flavoured ones)
1 lb penne pasta (or what ever pasta shape you have on hand)

2 small zucchini, grated

Large handful of spinach

6 white button mushrooms, sliced

1/4 cup red wine

1 tablespoon fresh basil, oregano or thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

2-3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 onion, finely diced

3-4 tablespoon cream

Parmesan Reggiano cheese, grated ( for serving)

Add a tablespoon of oil and a tsp of salt to a large pot of boiling water. Add the pasta and cook.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet add a tablespoon of oil and heat through then add the garlic and onion and saute until translucent. Add the chicken and cook for approximately 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and heat through. Add the tomatoes, red wine, all the herbs apart from the basil and zucchini and heat through until the chicken is cooked approximately another 5 minutes. Once chicken is cooked add the seasoning, cream, basil and washed spinach and just heat through until the spinach is just starting to wilt. Be careful to not boil the sauce once the cream has been added.

Strain the pasta and put into a serving bowl. Top with the chicken and sauce. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan.

Note: To boost the health factor you can substitute wholewheat pasta and add other grated vegetables such as carrots and peppers or olives.

Serves 4

You are reading this post on More Than Burnt Toast at http://morethanburnttoast.blogspot.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author/owner of More Than Burnt Toast. All rights reserved by Valerie Harrison.