Chicken and Roasted Tomato Spaghetti

This is one of my personal favorites, I love pasta that tastes like pasta and is not drowned in a creamy sauce (don't get me wrong I really like creamy sauces but when it comes to pasta less is more!) and the combination of tomatoes with rich italian herbs is gorgeous! It is a really simple dish to prepare and the little ones love it too!

Ingredients:

• 2 skinless chicken breast halves, diced 
• 1/2 teaspoon each oregano and basil
• salt and fresh pepper to taste
• 250g spaghetti 
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved and roasted in the oven *
• 6 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 tablespoons basil for garnishing 
• 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Directions: 

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
2. Season chicken generously with salt, pepper, oregano and basil. 
3. Heat a large skillet on high heat with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Cook the chicken about 3-4 minutes, until no longer pink. Remove chicken and set aside.
4. Add the pasta to the pot and cook according to package directions. Reserve about 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.
5. While pasta cooks, sauté the garlic until golden brown. Add the cooked pasta, salt and pepper and reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for a few minutes. 
6. Add tomatoes and toss well. If it seems too dry, add some of the reserved pasta water. 
7. Add fresh basil and chicken and toss well. 
8. Serve and top with grated cheese.

Tip:* To roast the tomatoes place them in an oven dish, drizzle a bit of olive oil on them and pop them in a preheated oven (180°C) for 10 minutes.