Pasta with Chicken, Tomatoes, and Basil

1. 1 Chicken breast filletpack 800 g ≈ $7.36 120 g
2. 2 Pastapack 450 g ≈ $1.36 90 g
3. 3 Tomatoes≈ $4.67 per kg 120 g
4. 4 Garlic≈ $10.00 per kg 4 g
5. 5 Fresh basilpack 30 g ≈ $2.50 8 g
6. 6 Olive oil 12 ml
7. 7 Hard cheesepack 200 g ≈ $2.64 20 g
8. 8 Salt 2 g
9. 9 Ground black pepper to taste

Grey rows are pantry staples: salt, oil, spices. They are not counted in the serving price.

Method

1. Prepare: wash and pat dry the chicken¹ fillet, cut into ~2 cm pieces; slice the tomatoes³ into wedges; rinse the basil and pluck the leaves; cook the pasta² according to package instructions and reserve half a cup of cooking water; heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil.

2. Fry: fry the chicken¹ over medium heat until golden brown, about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally so the pieces cook evenly.

3. Add garlic⁴ and tomatoes³: add minced garlic and tomato wedges to the chicken¹, fry about 4 minutes more until the tomatoes soften and aromas develop, stirring occasionally.

4. Combine with pasta²: add the cooked pasta and half a cup of the pasta cooking water to the skillet with chicken¹ and tomatoes³, and stir over medium heat until warmed through and the sauce comes together.

5. Finish: add the basil leaves and stir, remove from heat, sprinkle with cheese and let it melt slightly under the residual heat, keeping it on low for another 1–2 minutes.

6. Serve: divide among plates, add a bit more basil if desired, and serve hot with extra grated cheese to taste.