Skillet Whole Wheat Pasta with Chicken & Tomato Sauce

Every home cook needs a go-to healthy pasta recipe, with a great homemade tomato sauce. This one will take you only 30 minutes, from stovetop to table.

Ever since I posted my favorite 20 Healthy School Night Recipes last week, I’ve had easy recipes on the brain. You know the kind I mean. They are your lifesavers when you come home from work after a long day or the kids are staring at you with that ravenous wild-eyed look, the one they get just before they tackle their sibling for no apparent reason.

I have lost count of the number of times that pasta with store-bought tomato sauce has graced our dinner table. As much as I enjoy the convenience of those jars of sauce in my pantry, I am usually left complete non-plussed by their flavor. In fact, I spend so much time doctoring up the sauce with oregano, basil, salt and pepper that I might as well have made my own sauce.

So that’s just what I did in this recipe.

When I first started cooking, homemade tomato sauce seemed daunting. It was something that tasted great only when made by an Italian nonna or an experienced chef. How could a Canadian home cook with zero Italian heritage stand a chance with this classic sauce?! What I learned…from an actual Italian nonna in Tuscany (through many dramatic hand gestures)…is that the best tomato sauces are made from the best ingredients. Not rocket science, right? The whole is only as good as the parts.

The first and most important step is to choose crushed tomatoes with great flavor, such as these ones. Fresh basil and good olive oil are “musts”, too.

In this recipe, I simmered the sauce for 10 minutes, in the interest of putting dinner on the table quickly. If you have extra time, by all means simmer the sauce for longer to intensify the flavor.

The rest is just as easy. Your favorite whole wheat pasta (this is my favorite), a couple of chicken breasts and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

Dinner is served!

If you make this recipe, I’d love to see it on Instagram! Just use the hashtag #COOKINCANUCK and I’ll be sure to find it.

Skillet Whole Wheat Pasta with Chicken & Tomato Sauce Author: Dara Michalski | Cookin' Canuck

1 tsp olive oil 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces ¼ tsp salt ¼ tsp ground pepper 1 package (13 oz.) whole wheat penne (or other pasta) 2 tsp olive oil 1 small onion, chopped 3 large carrots, cut into half circles 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 tsp ground oregano ¼ tsp red pepper flakes ¼ tsp salt ¼ tsp ground pepper 1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes 1 (14 oz.) can crushed tomatoes ¼ cup minced flat-leaf parsley 4 basil leaves, thinly sliced Salt and pepper, to taste Grated Parmesan cheese, if desired

Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add the chicken, season with salt and pepper, and cook until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium heat. Add the onion and carrots, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, oregano, salt and pepper, and cook for 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes, bring the sauce to a boil, and then simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the parsley and basil. Add the chicken and pasta to the sauce, and stir to coat. Season to taste and serve with Parmesan cheese, if desired. Weight Watchers Points: 6 (Points+), 4 (Old Points) Serving size: 1½ cups | Calories: 240.1 cal | Fat: 3.3g | Saturated fat: 0.3g | Carbohydrates: 42.8g | Sugar: 2.6g | Sodium: 396.4mg | Fiber: 7.8g | Protein: 12.8g | Cholesterol: 12.2mg 3.3.3077

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