Chicken Marinara Pasta

Step 1

Season chicken on both sides with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Melt butter and 1 Tablespoon of the olive oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove to a plate.

Step 2

While the chicken is cooking, boil a large pot of water and add a generous pinch of salt. Cook pasta for 2 minutes less than the package directions state for al dente.

Step 3

After removing the chicken, reduce the skillet heat to low. Add the remaining 1 Tablespoon olive oil, followed by the garlic. As soon as the garlic starts to sizzle, stir in the tomatoes, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Nestle in the sprigs of fresh basil. Scrape the bottom of the pan to remove any browned bits, then let the sauce simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes.

Step 4

While the pasta cooks and the sauce simmers, cut chicken into strips, if desired.

Step 5

After the sauce has simmered for about 15 minutes, remove the basil sprigs and add salt and pepper to taste.

Step 6

Add cooked pasta to the sauce and give everything a good stir. (If the timing works out, I like to transfer the pasta directly from its cooking pot into the sauce using a slotted spoon. It’s OK if a little cooking water comes with it.) Add chicken, stir, and let everything warm through for 1-2 minutes. Serve right away with more chopped or torn basil leaves.