Course Dinner, For Toddlers, Lunch, Main Dishes, Recipes
Servings 6servings
Ingredients
1 tablespoon salted butter
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 lb chicken breasts cut into bite sized pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons salt, divided
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 lb spaghetti noodles
1/4 cup water
1 28 oz can of whole tomatoes * see notes
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced
1 cup fresh mozzarella cheese cut into small cubes
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup pasta water
Instructions
In a small saucepan, heat the butter up over medium heat. Once hot, add in the panko breadcrumbs and stir constantly for 5 minutes, until the breadcrumbs are lightly browned. Set aside!
Heat up the olive oil in a big pot over medium/high heat. At this point, you can start boiling the water for the spaghetti next to your big pot with the olive oil. Cook the spaghetti according to the box directions and save 1/2 cup of pasta water!
Once the oil is hot, add in the chicken. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt and freshly cracked black pepper; then leave the chicken there for 3-4 minutes until browned. Once brown, flip and repeat until the chicken is browned and finished cooking. Once cooked, move the chicken to a plate and set aside.
Turn the heat down to medium and pour in the 1/4 cup of water to deglaze the pan, scraping the brown bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
Add in the whole tomatoes. Bring the tomatoes to a low simmer and cover for 5 minutes.
Uncover and mash the tomatoes with a potato masher until there are no more big chunks. Add in the 1 teaspoon salt, sugar and freshly cracked black pepper.
At this point your pasta should be done and ready to add in to complete the sauce along with the cheese. When it’s done, drain and save 1/2 cup of pasta water.
Turn the heat down to low on the tomato mixture and add the cooked pasta, the parsley, mozzarella chunks, and Parmesan cheese. Mix and then cover for 3 minutes until melted.
Add your cooked chicken into the pasta and stir. If sauce is too thick, you can add the pasta water in to thin it out or omit it.
Top with breadcrumbs and serve! You can store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Enjoy!:)
Notes
* alternatively you can use a 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes! I have used both and both are yummy!