THE BEST PASTA RECIPE I HAVE EVER HAD

CAPELLINI WITH PINE NUTS, SUN-DRIED TOMATOES AND CHICKEN

This recipe is from the Prevention Magazine, Flat Belly Diet. It received rave reviews the other night. Capellini is a fine spaghetti shaped noodle. I used a new product I found in the health food section of my local Coles grocery store called San Remo Pasta Extra Spaghetti. It was reduced to 50 cents a box so I bought a couple. It is a whole wheat, high fiber pasta with added iron, folate, and higher protein. It was absolutely delicious....so good I went back and bought the last four boxes for 50 cents each....I would pay full price it is that good! Anyways, this recipe is quick, full of flavours and would be great served with a salad of baby lettuce leaves, This served two of us for dinner plus one nice sized portion for lunch the next day.

Ingredients:

250 grams (3/4 of a 350 gram box) pasta
125 grams ready to eat sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts, sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 red chili, sliced
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4- 1/2 cup fresh basil, sliced
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
Extra olive oil to drizzle
salt and pepper to taste
Fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Prepare pasta as directed on package (mine took 10 minutes).

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt. Add the chicken, garlic and sliced red chili to the hot skillet, stirring often, cooking for 1 - 2 minutes or until the garlic turns golden. Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and chicken stock and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes or until chicken is cooked.

Drain pasta and add to the chicken mixture and toss. Drizzle extra olive oil (2 teaspoons), add the basil and pine nuts and toss again. Taste for salt and pepper.

Serve garnished with fresh parmesan cheese and extra chopped basil or toasted pine nuts.