A simple chicken pasta in tomato sauce

Very recently, I had a friend visit. She's from Canada and she jokes that she's the whitest of white when it comes to her taste in food. What she means is that her taste buds can't handle spice and heat. Not that we're being culturally inappropriate about her ethnic background or anything like that. Plus, she's allowed to make jokes about herself. We had an afternoon where I needed to throw together a quick lunch for us before taking her to the train station to catch her train back to the city and this was the result.

I had some leftover chicken in the fridge - I forget from what, but I always have some kind of cooked or roast meat in the fridge. Sometimes, I even just roast some chicken or pork to have on hand for times like this. This is just a simple  pasta I threw together with the leftover roast chicken and an even simpler tomato sauce. The flavors are light, fresh, and delightful. It's something I made up, but I'm sure many people have made many variations of it one way or another. It's become a favorite in our home though, and hubby asks for it regularly. The only caveat is that I cook enough because when our friend visited, he claimed I didn't cook enough and he was still hungry after lunch. Oops!

Important Note:
I am attempting to include alternative cooking methods in all my recipes, so where application there will always be a traditional/conventional cooking method, an air fryer or crock pot option, or a Thermomix option.
You can choose whichever method you prefer to use.

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients

For the Pasta

• Pasta: 100g (3.5 oz) dry pasta per person (spiral or penne recommended)
• Salt: 15g (1 tablespoon) for boiling water
• Olive Oil: Optional, for boiling pasta

For the Chicken and Sauce

• Cooked Chicken: 240-360g (8-12 oz), diced (leftover roast or rotisserie chicken, or fresh chicken seasoned with salt and pepper)
• Olive Oil: 15ml (1 tablespoon) for cooking chicken
• Onion: 1 medium, diced
• Garlic: 2 cloves, minced (or to taste)
• Canned Diced Tomatoes: 400g (14 oz)
• Salt: To taste (start with 5g or 1 teaspoon)
• Pepper: To taste
• Chili Flakes: A pinch or more (optional, for flavor)

Garnish

• Spring Onions: Chopped, for garnish

Instructions

1. Prepare the Chicken:
   • If using fresh chicken, season it with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil (1 tablespoon) in a pan over medium heat.
   • Cook the chicken until lightly golden brown, about 6-8 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
2. Cook the Onions and Garlic:
   • In the same pan, add the diced onion. Sauté until translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
   • Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
3. Boil the Pasta:
   • In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt and optional olive oil.
   • Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions (8-10 minutes) until al dente. Stir occasionally.
   • Once done, reserve 240ml (1 cup) of pasta water if necessary, then drain the pasta.
4. Combine Chicken and Sauce:
   • Add the cooked chicken back to the pan with the onions and garlic.
   • Pour in the canned diced tomatoes. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
   • If the sauce has thickened too much while simmering, add some of the reserved pasta water and let it simmer until the pasta is ready.
5. Mix Pasta with Sauce:
   • Return the drained pasta to the pot it was cooked in. Add a ladle or two of the sauce (without the chicken) and mix thoroughly to coat the pasta.
6. Serve:
   • Plate the pasta into bowls. Top with spoonfuls of the chicken and additional sauce (about 2-3 large spoons per serving). Garnish with chopped spring onions.
   • Store any remaining chicken tomato sauce in the fridge for up to a week for use with more pasta later.

Notes and Tips

• Pasta Texture: Remember to undercook the pasta slightly, as it will continue to cook in the sauce.
• Flavor Adjustment: Taste the sauce before serving and adjust the salt, especially since pasta can absorb some flavor.
• Spice Levels: If serving to those who prefer less spice, reserve the chili oil for individual servings.

PS. I usually end up with enough sauce for another serve for the two of us since this recipe can serve up to four people. I will add about a quarter cup of leftover pasta water (always reserve some pasta water) into the extra sauce, stir through, let it cool, and pop it into the fridge. It will keep up to a week and the flavors develop over that time. When you have it next, it will taste even better.

PPS. We love garlic, so why stop at two cloves? Use as much or as little garlic as you like. That's entirely up to you. I usually just grab a handful and throw them into. More garlic = less vampires!!

PPPS. If you've made it this far... I do also use a little extra secret ingredient to amp up the umami flavors to the dish, but hey, what's a little (non) secret between friends? Be warned though, this will thoroughly upset Stanley Tucci because it's about as unauthentic Italian as it gets, but it will make Marian Glasby of Marion's Kitchen very happy as she's all about adding Asian flavors to classic dishes. Sooo... what is it, you ask? I use a Vietnamese Bun Oc spice mix I get from my Asian grocery store. It's hard to find here, so I'm not sure how easy it is for you to get your hands on depending on where you are. But essentially, this particular spice mix is tangy, tomato-ey, and packs a huge umami punch. It's my secret ingredient in a lot of my pasta dishes because it just gives it that oomph we love. It might not be for everyone, so do with this what you will. Essentially, the Bun Oc spice is tomato paste powder, tamarind paste powder, annato seed powder, shrimp paste powder, fermented anchovy powder, and salt. It all comes in a little handy dandy bouillon cube. The reason I didn't include it in the main ingredient list above is because (again) it's hard to find... even for me! It's very often out of stock at my local Asian grocery store, so when I see it, I buy a bunch. Depending on how big a batch you're making and your taste, half a bouillon cube might be enough. I use one, but that's cos I usually make a big batch of sauce.

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