🍝 Chicken and Aubergine Tomato Pasta

Name: Chicken and Aubergine Tomato Pasta
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 500 g chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces; 1 large aubergine, cut into 2cm cubes; 350 g pasta (penne, rigatoni or fusilli); 4 tbsp olive oil; 1 onion, finely chopped; 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped; ½ tsp chilli flakes; 1 tsp dried oregano; 800 g tinned chopped tomatoes (2 tins); 1 tbsp tomato purée; 1 tsp sugar (to balance the tomatoes); 1 tsp salt, plus extra for the pasta water; ½ tsp black pepper; 50 g parmesan, grated; A handful of fresh basil leaf

A rich, garlicky tomato pasta with soft aubergine and golden chicken, ready in about 30 minutes.

By Ollie. Serves 4. Tags: quick, kid-friendly.

Ingredients

500 g chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 large aubergine, cut into 2cm cubes
350 g pasta (penne, rigatoni or fusilli)
4 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ tsp chilli flakes
1 tsp dried oregano
800 g tinned chopped tomatoes (2 tins)
1 tbsp tomato purée
1 tsp sugar (to balance the tomatoes)
1 tsp salt, plus extra for the pasta water
½ tsp black pepper
50 g parmesan, grated
A handful of fresh basil leaf

Method

Fry the aubergine: Heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a large deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the aubergine with a pinch of salt and fry for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden and soft. Tip onto a plate.
Brown the chicken: Add 1 tbsp more oil to the pan. Season the chicken with a little of the salt and pepper, then cook for 6 minutes until golden and cooked through with no pink inside. Add it to the plate with the aubergine.
Soften the onion: Lower the heat to medium and add the last of the oil. Add the onion and cook for 6 minutes until soft, then stir in the garlic, chilli flakes and oregano for a minute.
Simmer the sauce: Stir in the tomato purée, then add the chopped tomatoes, sugar and the rest of the salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until slightly thickened.
Cook the pasta: Meanwhile, bring a large pot of well-salted water to the boil and cook the pasta for 11 minutes until al dente. Save a mug of the pasta water before draining.
Combine: Return the chicken and aubergine to the sauce and heat through for 2 minutes.
Toss and serve: Add the drained pasta to the sauce along with half the parmesan. Toss well, loosening with a splash of pasta water if needed. Serve topped with the remaining parmesan and torn basil.

Notes

Put the pasta water on when you start the sauce so everything is ready at the same time.
A splash of cream or a spoonful of mascarpone stirred in at the end makes it richer.
Stir in a ball of torn mozzarella just before serving for a melty, parmigiana-style finish.
No fresh basil? A little extra oregano in the sauce works fine.
Leftovers reheat well.