Creamy Tomato Chicken Penne

Add the penne to the boiling water and cook for 9 minutes, or until ‘al dente’. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, drain, then return the pasta to the saucepan and drizzle with olive oil to prevent sticking.

While the pasta is cooking, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken thigh and a pinch of salt and pepper and cook, tossing, for 5-6 minutes or until browned and cooked through. Transfer to a plate.

In the same frying pan, heat the butter and a drizzle of olive oil over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and zucchini and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add a generous drizzle of olive oil and the tomato paste (see ingredients list). Cook the tomato paste, stirring, for 2 minutes or until slightly darkened. TIP: Frying the tomato paste deepens its flavour.

Add 2/3 cup pasta water to the frying pan and crumble in 2 chicken stock cubes. Stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low and add the cooking cream, salt, basil, baby spinach leaves, chicken thigh and any resting juices from the chicken. Stir until heated through. Add the penne and toss to coat. Season to taste with pepper. TIP: Add a dash more pasta water if the sauce looks too thick.