Scale
Ingredients
- roughly 2 Tbsp. EVOO
- 1 lb. pasta – Banza worked well for me for a GF version
- 1.5 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed
- 2 c. cooked great northern beans
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 14 oz. can fire roasted tomatoes (find them right next to the diced tomatoes – Hunt’s & Muir Glen have nice varieties)
- 1 14oz. can full-fat coconut milk
- 1 Tablespoon. + 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (I use the organic version from Aldi – watch out for freak preservatives in pre-blended spices)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon. coarsely ground black pepper
- 5–6 c. spinach
Instructions
- If you’re using dried beans, go ahead and soak them in 4 cups of water overnight. About an hour before you’re ready to start the dish, drain the water. Add the beans to a large stockpot and cover with fresh water by at least an inch. Bring the water to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, and turn the burner to medium-low, and simmer for about an hour, or until the beans are tender. Drain when cooked. If you have a sensitivity to beans, I recommend this method. If you’re using canned beans, skip this step!
- Now, cook your pasta. Bring water to a boil and cook according to the package directions, but decrease the cooking time by 1-2 minutes. Drain the pasta, rinse in cold water and drizzle with olive oil to prevent sticking. This is especially important to do with the Banza pasta so it stays al-dente.
- Chop your onion and red pepper and dice the garlic and set aside.
- Cube the chicken and heat a large skillet over medium heat with the olive oil. Add the chicken and brown. Remove it from the pan and set aside.
- Next, add the onions and peppers and saute. Once translucent, add the fire roasted tomatoes, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the coconut milk and mix well. Once incorporated, add the beans and chicken back to the pan. Bring the mixture to a slow boil and reduce to medium-low. Let this reduce for about 8 minutes, uncovered to thicken.
- Pour the pasta back into the stock pot it was cooked in. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in all of the spinach. Pour over the pasta in the pot and mix well. If you’re not dairy free, this pairs wonderfully with a bit of grated parmesan & a robust bottle of red wine.