What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Chow Down: Zingy Weeknight Pasta! Don’t you love it when everything you need for a quick meal is right at your fingertips? Well, I do. This was one of those nights when everything in the fridge “must-go” simply because we were leaving on a trip the next day. I already had a jar of homemade marinara sauce, but feel free to substitute a store bought variety you probably keep in your pantry, next to the package of spaghetti. The chicken strips are frozen, grilled, and precooked. Don’t judge me. It works. Oh, and I actually served freshly grated parmesan cheese as a garnish, but we sprinkled it on at the table.
ZINGY WEEKNIGHT PASTA
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 green pepper, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3 cups prepared marinara
2 cups precooked grilled chicken strips, cut into chunks
1/2 pound sliced salami, cut into pieces
4 ounces spaghetti, cooked
Parmesan cheese for garnish
Instructions:
In a large skillet, warm olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped green pepper, chopped onion, and minced garlic. Sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to simmer and add marinara sauce. Meanwhile, microwave frozen chicken to thaw. Cut into chunks. Add chicken and salami to sauce. Stir to mix. Cook spaghetti according to package directions, but remove the pasta 4 minutes earlier than directed since we are going to add the spaghetti to the sauce to finish cooking. Once the spaghetti is prepared to that point, ladle some of the pasta water into the sauce, about 1/3 cup. This will add wonderful flavor and help thicken the sauce nicely. Now drain the spaghetti and add it to the sauce mixture, without rinsing. Let the spaghetti finish cooking until it is al dente. Serve in pasta bowls. Garnish with parmesan cheese. (Freeze any leftovers to serve when you return from a day of travel.)
Yep, it’s great when that happens and I love pasta.
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I get it! Pasta is my friend. 😜
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These sort of dishes always turn out the best!
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I agree! 😍
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That looks so delicious 🙂
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Thank you! Wish I could send you a plate! 🌿🍅
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looks great!!
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It tasted amazing! 😍
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🙂 bookmarked!!
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YAY! Thanks for “Paying It Forward!” 😍
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Perfect dish for my daughter in college to make!
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My son used to make it for dinner every time he had a new girlfriend in high school. They were impressed that he cooked. lol 😊
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Very lovely and tasty recipe 🙂
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Thanks very much. Everyone loves pasta. 🌿🍅
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That looks really, really good 😋
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You are so kind to say so. Blessings! 🍁🍂🌾
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Blessings to you too 🙂
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This is what we in my house call “Spaghetti (or macaroni or whatever pasta) Surprise” – start with pasta, add leftovers. Yours sounds way better than mine, though.
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I like that idea. After all, the secret is in the sauce. 👁👁
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This is such an example of comfort food, love the idea.. 😀
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It takes a lot of willpower for me to resist a plate of pasta! 😜
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