Spicy Tomato and Chicken Pasta

I'll keep the word "spicy" as the title for this post, because perhaps it is in fact spicy for some people. But for me, I found this to be pretty mild. In fact, this might be a kid-friendly dish for families to try because it is pretty simple, doesn't require any exotic ingredients, and healthy. I don't eat a lot of pasta and when I want to go on a carb-binge, I also want it to include binge-worthy ingredients. Like meat. Sausage. And lots of cheese. Yes, this is on the lighter side and probably not something I'll make again. But if you're looking for something mild in flavor and easy to make, this is it!

Spicy Tomato and Chicken Pasta (serves 4)

Ingredients:

1 tsp ground fennel seed

1 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 lb chicken breast tenders, cut into (1-inch) pieces

1 TB olive oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

4 cups canned diced tomatoes, undrained

1 cup white wine

8 oz uncooked penne

1/4 cup (1 oz) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Directions:
Combine dry ingredients in a small bowl; rub over chicken.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 4 minutes, turning once. Remove from heat; set aside.

Reduce heat to medium. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds or until garlic is soft. Add tomatoes and wine, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Add chicken, and simmer 5 minutes.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain. Toss pasta with sauce in a large bowl. Sprinkle with cheese and basil.