A speedy weekday recipe, ready in about 30 minutes, is also perfect for meal prep. The only prep you need to do outside the cooking time is getting the pepper and garlic ready; everything else is done while those are cooking in the oven. The chicken can be removed for a vegan/vegetarian option; however, I would add in some additional plant protein, such as chickpeas or tofu a nutritionally balanced meal. You can use prawns as a pescetarian option. The seeds and nuts in the sauce can also be replaced if you don't have any of these on hand with other nuts like walnuts, almonds, or cashew nuts. I love using Brazil nuts as they are extremely high in selenium, which many of us struggle to take in daily, yet it's a pretty crucial micronutrient for healthy thyroid function.
Sun-Dried Tomatoes Chicken Pasta
Serves: 3 Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 30 mins
Ingredients:
4 boneless and skinless chicken thighs
1 tsp paprika powder
2 generous handfuls of spinach (feel free to use more if required)
2 + 1/2 cup dried pasta (I used brown rice penne)
salt to taste
For the pasta sauce:
1 red pepper
2 garlic cloves
3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes
2 tbsp sunflower seeds
2 Brazil nuts
3 tbsp plant-based yogurt (I used Oatly Greek style)
1/2 tbsp dried chives
1/2 tbsp dried basil
1/2 cup pasta water
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees and line a baking tray with baking paper.
Wash the red pepper, cut it in half, place it on the tray with the peeled garlic cloves and bake for 30 mins until the peppers are slightly charcoaled.
Whilst the pepper is baking, prepare the pasta, sauce, and chicken. Cook the pasta with salt according to the instructions on the packaging, as cooking time will depend on the type of pasta you use. Save 1/2 cup of pasta water for your sauce. When the pasta is ready, drain, add a teaspoon of olive oil, so they don't stick together, and set aside.
Place the listed sauce ingredients in a blender/food processor, apart from the pasta water, and set aside.
You can start cooking the chicken when you have about 10 minutes left from the pepper to be ready. Heat up some oil in the pan and add the cubed chicken thighs with paprika powder and salt to taste.
When the pepper and garlic are baked, peel the skin off the pepper and add it to the blender with the garlic. Now you can add the pasta water and blend the ingredients to get a creamy texture.
Add the cooked pasta to the chicken, pour over the sauce, add the spinach, and let it cook for another 3 mins until the spinach wilts slightly.
You can serve it with some additional seeds, such as sunflower or pumpkin seeds, and some fresh parsley.
