Weekends are meant for relaxation and unwinding from what was undoubtedly a long work week. So, slogging for an hour or more in the kitchen is probably the last thing you want to do! However, you still want to enjoy a wholesome and scrumptious meal. As the saying goes – you want to have your cake and eat it too. To help you out with that, we’ve put together an indulgent Marinara Chicken Pasta. It’s a one-pot wonder that can be ready in 3 simple steps!
Marinara – A History
Before the 16th century, you’d never have found a marinara sauce anywhere in Italy. This is because tomatoes didn’t grow in Europe but were discovered in the Americas. They were only brought to Italy sometime in the mid-1600s. The word ‘Marinara’ derives itself from the Italian word ‘Marinai’ which means sailors. This was probably to commemorate the very men who sailed the seas to bring tomatoes to Italy.
Marinara today has become a highly sought-after and popular dish, with people cooking it at home in a multitude of ways. Some variants include the use of sausages, seafood, mushrooms, meatballs, red wine, and cheese. You’re only a step away from two other great Italian dishes with a good marinara sauce recipe – add in red chilli flakes and anchovies and you’ll have a puttanesca, leave off the anchovies and you’ll have pasta arrabbiata.
The marinara pasta recipe we’ve got for you today is super-duper easy. It uses a store-bought marinara sauce, can be made with leftover chicken if you’ve got some, and tastes fantastic. If you don’t have leftovers, consider our Licious Boneless Chicken Mini Bites – cut specifically for dishes like pasta. We pre-clean them so they can go straight from the pack to your pan without any thawing or washing!
| Prep Time | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time | 20 minutes |
| Servings |
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- 1 pack Licious Chicken Mini Bites (Boneless)
- 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
- ½ tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 medium onion minced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1½ cup Penne Pasta
- 2½ cup store-bought marinara sauce
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup Parmesan Cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Dried Italian seasoning and garlic powder as needed
- fresh basil minced
Ingredients
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- Drizzle some olive oil in a large pot or electric instant pot and heat it over medium-high flame or heat setting. Place the chicken chunks and season with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and garlic powder. Mix well and cook for about 5-6 minutes until the chicken is almost done. Remove it on a plate and set aside.
- In the same pot, add the minced onion, garlic and cook for about 2-3 minutes until they turn soft. Then add the marinara sauce along with some water and bring it to a boil. Then reduce the heat and let it simmer for about a couple of minutes.
- Add chicken and pasta to the pot and stir well. Cover and cook for about 10-15 minutes until the pasta is completely done. Add the parmesan cheese and ¼ cup of mozzarella cheese, mix well and sprinkle the remaining ¾ cup mozzarella cheese on top of the dish. Cook for another 2-3 minutes or until the cheese melts.
- Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and chopped basil. Serve hot with bread.
This marinara chicken pasta recipe is sure to make you and your family or friends say ‘Buono!’ We recommend trying it right away. There’s no reason why you can’t enjoy restaurant-quality food in the peaceful confines of your home. So grab your ingredients and get cracking. If you prefer to pair this dish with meatballs or seafood, we’ve got a great range of mutton or chicken mince and seafood like squid, crab, and prawns, so be sure to check those out too. Let us know how it goes. Enjoy!