It’s tomato season! We are rolling in garden fresh tomatoes here, and I had several on the counter that were giving me that look. You know the one – “I’m planning to rot tonight, do you hear me? TONIGHT! AHAHAHAH!!” So I had no option; I had to make something that involved tomatoes.

We’re getting a little tired of tomato sandwiches and spaghetti sauce, so I decided to try whipping up something new. I started with some seasoned chicken (this is great use for leftovers!), tossed in some pasta (whole wheat, ’cause we’re just that healthy), the threatening tomatoes, and some spinach I had wilting in the fridge. I topped it off with some lemon juice, garlic powder, and a little butter for flavor.

And fell in love. Because guys, this is the perfect summer dinner. It throws together quickly, only takes a few minutes of heating, and has a glorious fresh taste that you just can’t top. And for vegetarians, just omit the chicken and you still have a pretty filling, tasty meal.

Also, can we talk about the colors? This pasta looks as fresh as it tastes:

Umm, yeah. Now, I will say, this dish tastes best fresh, but you can eat it as leftovers. I would recommend drizzling a little olive oil or melted butter over it when you reheat, otherwise it gets a little dry. The flavors are still great, and the tomatoes and spinach held up just fine. This is definitely going to be a repeat meal around here 🙂

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Lemon Garlic Pasta

Fresh spinach and roma tomatoes compliment a tangy lemon garlic sauce for a quick and delicious dinner!

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 15

Total Time 20

Servings 4

Ingredients

1 chicken breast chopped (feel free to use leftovers)
2 to matoes chopped
1 cup spinach chopped
2 cups penne pasta
2 Tbsp butter or margarine
1-2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

In a skillet, cook your chicken until white all through.
While chicken is cooking, cook and drain pasta according to directions on package.
Once chicken is done, toss in tomatoes and spinach and heat through.
Add in pasta, butter, garlic powder, and lemon juice. Allow butter to melt and make sure sauce completely coats everything.
Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

I either use pre-seasoned, leftover chicken from another recipe, or I cook my chicken in a mix of spices including Italian seasoning, garlic powder, seasoned salt, and crushed red pepper (Iove that kick!). Feel free to experiment and see what you like!