Chicken Caprese Pasta

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. of pasta (farfalle)
• 2 filets of thinly cut chicken
• shredded cheese
• basil to taste (0.25 cups if fresh, to taste if dried)
• 2 Tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 4 shakes of red pepper flakes (optional, adds a bit of depth to the flavor)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 plumb tomato, chopped, stem removed

Instructions:

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve 0.5 cup of pasta water before draining!
2. In a large, high-walled skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes; sauté until fragrant (about 1 minute).
3. Add tomato (and dried basil) and cook until softened (about 3-4 minutes).
4. Stir in shredded chicken and add a splash of the reserved pasta water, heat through.
5. Add cooked pasta, stir well to coat. Add more pasta water as needed for a silky texture.
6. Remove from heat; mix in shredded cheese (and fresh basil) until creamy and combined.
7. Season with salt and pepper to taste; serve warm with extra basil and grated Parmesan if desired.