Easy Italian Chicken and Veggies (and Pasta)

This one is easy. The family wants a healthy, hearty, rib sticking dish. Heathy (simple marinara with summer veggies), hearty (whole grain pasta), and rib sticking (chicken) is what they get. Here it is.

Chicken Veggie Marinara

Your basic marinara sauce

1 zucchini squash (quartered and thinly sliced)
1 yellow summer squash (quartered and thinly sliced)
1 yellow onion (quartered and thinly sliced)

1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast

1 lb whole wheat pasta (I use rotini - lots of surface area)

Get 5 qts of salted water to a steady boil, add the pasta and cook till al dente. Drain, lightly cover with olive oil, and set aside.

Prepare the marinara as directed.

Once that is started, toss the squash and onions in 1 tbsn olive oil, add salt and pepper, and place in oven preheated at 375,

Cook the marinara and veggies for 30 minutes, flipping the veggies halfway through.

Add 1 1/2 cups of marinara, 1 cup of veggies, and 1 cup of pasta in a saute pan. Warm through and serve.

A little healthy Asian Chicken Noodle Broth

Inspired by the Chinesebroth pot and noodles, and required by my ladies' request to keep it healthy, I did a little research on he much desired and healthy Soba noodles and my memories of Jinan noodle bowls and Beijing broth pots, I put this together. Obviously, by the fact that I am putting on here, it was well received. Here it is.....

Soba Noodles with Chicken and Broth

• 12 oz dried Soba noodles
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups water
• 1/4  cup yellow miso
• 1 tsp. ginger (I use ginger paste)
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne

•   2 lb boneless, skinless whole chicken breasts (4 oz portions)

•   2 cups packed baby spinach leaves or bok choy, thinly sliced
•   2 green onions, white and light green portions, thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 374 F.

In a large stock pot, place 4 quarts (at least) of liberally salted water and bring to a boil. Add the Soba noodles and reduce heat. Cook until at (or slight past) al dente (about 5 minutes), rinse with warm water. and set aside. 

In a medium stock pot combine the chicken stock and water. Whisk in the miso and the ginger and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, adding 1 cup of water, and salt and pepper to taste, after 10 minutes.

Bring a saute pan to medium high heat. Liberally season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and sear on both sides. Place in oven and cook for 15 minutes, remove and set aside.

Once the chicken is cooked, add cayenne to the broth. Let simmer for 3 minutes and add the spinach (bok choy) and green onions. let simmer for 5 minutes.

Place 1 cup of the Soba in a bowl. Add 1 cup of broth mixture and 3 oz of diced cooked chicked. Top with cilantro for a little sumpin sumpin.