Confetti Penne Pasta

Gingerbee's Note:

This is a creation born out of loving Italian and Mexican food. It's colorful, has texture, has kick and three food groups. One dish meal, quick and easy and so good the family won't mind the veggies!

• Total Time: 55 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 4 boneless chicken breasts, cut in strips
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 (15 ounce) cans sweet corn (drained)
• 1 large sweet red pepper (diced 1/2-inch pieces)
• 2 medium zucchini, unpeeled (diced 1/2-inch pieces)
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 fresh garlic cloves (finely minced or pressed)
• 1 large onion (quartered and sliced thin)
• 1 carrot (grated)
• 2 celery ribs (cut on diagonal)
• 1 tablespoon oregano (dried)
• 1 tablespoon basil (dried)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• salt and pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
• 1 (8 ounce) can pitted black olives (drained, sliced)
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1 lb penne pasta

Directions:

1. Slice chicken breasts into thin strips.
2. Place in bowl; season with salt, pepper and 2 cloves of pressed garlic.
3. Set aside covered for 1/2 hours.
4. In a large fry pan, over med-high heat, brown chicken strips in olive oil.
5. Remove chicken with slotted spoon from pan and set aside into a clean bowl.
6. In the same fry pan, lightly sauté onions and 2 cloves of garlic for 2 minutes.
7. Add cumin, hot pepper flakes and stir for 2 minutes more just to release flavor of cumin and heat of pepper flakes.
8. Add corn, celery, red peppers, brown sugar, Worcestershire and vinegar stirring to loosen chicken flavor bits in the pan and to "deglaze" the pan and cook for 2 minutes more.
9. Add tomato sauce, grated carrot, black olives, garlic powder, onion powder, dried basil, oregano and return chicken to the pan along with any juices left from the chicken in the bowl.
10. Cook mixture covered over medium heat just until peppers and zucchini are tender; 15-20 minutes (or the way you like them--soft or crunchy?).
11. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
12. Remove from heat and stir in 2 tablespoons of cold butter.
13. This will smooth the sauce out.
14. Cook and drain pasta.
15. Toss with confetti sauce and serve.

Reviews

[CaliforniaJan]

This is a very tasty and forgiving recipe. I kept some vegetable quantities the same but reduced others (corn) and added a little more tomato sauce. It all turned out beautifully and we loved it.

[Maribeli]

Good. I was suspicious of the high vegetable quantities and whether they would be overpowering the pasta & chicken so I cut them down. My husband loved it. I thought it was just okay. I'll make it again but something was missing for me.

[Batty Boop]

Made this for supper last night! Flavourful to say the least. Didn't change a thing. I recommend it highly.