Chicken & Spinach Pasta

This meal is really healthy for you and a regular at our table. It's surprisingly refreshing and sits really well on the stomach... which is rare for a pasta dish!

The original recipe came from The Biggest Loser cookbook however I have altered it so much I can't give them all the credit This one would also make a great summer lunch pasta. It should be noted I have listed one of the ingredients as spinach although it is actually silverbeet - a member of the spinach family and what everyone called spinach about 5-10yrs ago. Funny how fashion and time changes the names of things. Since when did half-grown onions become shallots? I guess we can thank MasterChef for that!

YOU WILL NEED:

300gm penne
1 double chicken breast cut into small pieces
1 tsp olive oil
1 bunch of silverbeet, washed, trimmed and shredded
2 slices rindless shortcut bacon, cut into thin strips
2 cloves garlic thinly sliced
2 red chillis, chopped up nice and fine - leave the seeds in if you want it spicy or remove them
finely grated zest of one lemon
the juice from that lemon
2 tsp capers - if you are don't like capers, trust me, you that you won't taste them in this dish... they are there to add texture and saltiness.

YOU NEED TO:

* Cook the penne in a large saucepan of salted boiling water - drain and keep warm
* Heat the oil in a massive saucepan over medium heat, throw in the silverbeet and cook for about 5mins until it has wilted - stir it regularly but keep a lid on it when not stirring so it semi steams also
* Add the bacon and chicken and cook for another 7 minutes - stirring occasionally and keeping the lid on when not
* Add the rest of the ingredients and stir for a further 3mins
* Either add the penne to the pan and stir it through or pour both the penne and sauce into a large mixing bowl and stir together

FOR A VEGO ALTERNATIVE REMOVE THE CHICKEN AND BACON FROM THE RECIPE and maybe add some mushroom for a different feel and flavour.

Serve with freshly grated parmessan and a nice drop of red. Although this also goes well with a nice crisp Sav Blanc.