Sautéed Chicken with Tomatoes & Arugula

Ingredients

1½ pounds cherry or grape tomatoes, cut into bite-size pieces

6T oil-packed sun dried tomatoes, chopped and drained; set aside 5T of the oil

2 large shallots, thinly sliced

4T capers, drained

2 cloves garlic, crushed

3T sherry, champagne vinegar

½ cup fresh basil, torn into bite size piece

Salt & pepper

8 large skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Olive oil

1 pound arugula, washed

2T lemon juice

1. Cut the tomatoes into bite size pieces. Chop the sundried tomatoes and place in a medium size bowl.

2. Peel and slice the shallots into thin rings. Add to the tomatoes.

3. Combine the tomatoes, shallots, capers, garlic, vinegar, and 3 tablespoons of the sundried tomato oil. Mix together and season with salt and pepper. Let the mixture sit 10-15 minutes so flavors can combine. Right before serving, add the basil. Stir until combined.

4. Put a chicken breast on a cutting board. Place your hand flat on top of the chicken.

5. Using a sharp knife, slice the rounded side of the chicken breast working toward the other side, making sure not to cut all the way thought to the other side. Unfold the breast it should looks like a “butterfly”.

6. Take a piece of plastic wrap and place on top of the chicken. Lightly pound the chicken with a mallet until chicken breasts are of uniform thickness. If the piece is very large, cut the pounded piece in half. Set aside and repeat with each breast.

7. Place a sauté pan on medium-high heat; add enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan.

8. Pat three or four chicken breasts dry with a paper towel; season with salt and pepper.

9. Place the chicken into the pan, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the chicken is brown and it releases and turns easily. Flip the breasts and cook the other side another 2-3 minutes until cooked through.

10. Transfer chicken breasts to a platter. If needed, add more oil to the pan. Continue cooking the breasts until all the chicken has been cooked.

11. Toss the arugula with the remaining 2 tablespoons of the sundried tomato oil and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.

12. To serve, place the arugula on a plate or platter. Top with sautéed chicken. Spoon the tomato mixture over the top. Serve immediately.

TIPS & TRICKS

• Use any small tomatoes, whether they are red, yellow, or green. I like the cherry & grapes, but you could use chopped tomatoes too.

• Try to use sundried tomatoes with no sulfates. (I’ll save those for my wine! ☺)

• You don’t need to wash of the capers; the brine adds the perfect amount of saltiness.

• If you can’t find sherry vinegar, use champagne or balsamic. It adds just the perfect balance of acidity.

• This sauce is positively addictive, and goes well with so many things. Try it on top of pork, beef, or even a grill piece of fish. YUM.

Pasta with summer beans

Ingredients

2T olive oil
1 medium or 2 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 cups cherry tomatoes
1 pound dried pasta
1 pound green, yellow or purple beans
½ cup grated Pecorino Romano Cheese, plus more for serving
1 cup basil leaves, torn into bite size pieces
salt & pepper

1.    Trim the ends, and cut the beans into bite size pieces. Set aside. Cut the tomatoes in ½ and set aside.

2.    In a medium sauté pan over medium heat, heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sauté the onions until soft, about 3-4 minutes.

3.    Add the garlic and sauté 2-3 minutes more.

4.    Add the tomatoes and toss until warm, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

5.    Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add 1 tablespoon of salt.  Add the pasta and cook for half the cooking time instructed on the package, then add the beans and finish cooking the pasta as directed, until al dente.

6.    Drain the pasta and reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

7.    Toss the pasta with ½ cup of the cooking liquid, the onion mixture, basil, and the cheese toss until pasta is coated with sauce. If the mixtures seem a little dry, add a little more of the water.  

7B. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon pasta into bowls and serve immediately. Serve with extra cheese.

TIPS & TRICKS

•    There has been lots of research that shows the benefits of peel/crushing garlic and letting it sit 10-15 minutes before cooking it. This allows the enzyme alliinase to release, before exposing it to the heat. Alliinase as many health benefits. So I try to get in the habit of peeling the garlic and just letting it sit while I prep the rest of the recipe
•    You can use any variety of beans that look good to you, or you can do a combination of all the 3 colors!
•    If cherry tomatoes aren’t available, you can substitute chopped tomatoes.
•    Try to buy pasta that is 100% durum wheat to get the maximum nutritional benefits. Any shape will work for this recipe. I like to use shapes that are about the same size as the beans, so it will all fit on the fork for the perfect bite! Penne, rigatoni, mostaccioli are perfect or you can break the tagliatelli or fettuccini noodles into smaller pieces.
•    I like to buy a big wedge of cheese and grate it myself. You can do this easily in your food processor or blender. Just cut the cheese into small cubes and allow it to sit on your counter for 15-20 minutes to slightly soften, it makes it so much easier to grate. Store in glass or plastic containers until ready to use.
•    You could add cooked chicken or shrimp to make this a heartier meal.