For many, a new year brings the promise of a healthier and more fulfilling lifestyle. For me, it brings two days of a low-carb diet followed by a weekend of burritos and popcorn. Obviously, 2014 is already treating me SO well.
For those of you who regularly read food blogs, I’m sure you’ve been inundated with smoothies and salads and “healthified” versions of all our favorite dishes because January just isn’t January without greek yogurt…..in everything.
I, naturally, have done nothing of the sort for you. This is because I’m a horrible blogger, I haven’t cooked a new dish in basically forever and I’m the president of the “carbs for life” fanclub that I’ve just started.
In all seriousness though, pasta is just so on point. For anyone with even a semi-busy lifestyle (if I have enough time to watch four seasons of The Good Wife in two months, I can’t technically say I’m busy, right?) pasta is almost too easy. Boil the carbs. Add favorite things. Put cheese on top. YAY FOOD.
This particular pasta is essentially a big pot of my favorite flavors. We’ve discussed my love for “crazy feta” over here and we’ve discussed how roasted vegetables make the world go round. I obviously just waxed poetic about pasta in general….so now let’s just put everything together. So easy and so delicious.
Here’s to another year of good food (and wine and puppies and lipstick)!
Crazy greek pasta
Serves 4
1 lb pasta (any shape will do)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 panful of roasted vegetables (use your favorites!) + 3 roasted jalapenos + 1 head of roasted garlic
1 lemon
1/2 cup black olives, roughly chopped
8-oz crumbled feta cheese
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and cook pasta according to package instructions. While pasta is cooking, prepare rest of dish.
Heat the oil over medium high heat in another large pan. Once hot, add in the chicken. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and cumin and allow to sear for 4-6 minutes, until golden brown. Once almost cooked through, add in the vegetables, jalapeno and olives. Stir everything to combine and allow chicken to finish cooking. Once pasta is cooked, drain (reserving a little of the liquid) and add to the chicken and vegetables. Add in crumbled feta, garlic and the juice from one lemon. Give everything a HUGE stir to incorporate the garlic and melt all the cheese. If necessary, add in some of the reserved pasta water to help things along. You can also add in a drizzle of olive oil to create a more saucy texture – totally up to you!
Serve hot and enjoy!
One girl. One kitchen. 