Conchiglie con Brokkoli – shell pasta with broccoli and sage chicken strips

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 500 g mussel pasta (Conchiglie)
• 500 g broccoli, fresh
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 chili pepper(s), dried
• 8 cherry tomatoes
• 400 g chicken breast
• 5 leaves sage, fresh or 1 tbsp dried
• 2 tbsp, heaped butter
• salt and pepper
• Extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour

Finely chop the garlic and chili pepper. Halve the tomatoes. Cut the chicken breast into approximately 1 cm thick strips. Trim the broccoli and cut it into florets. Peel any larger stems and cut them into 1 x 2 cm pieces. Bring 3 liters of well-salted water to a boil in a large pot, add the broccoli stalks. After 5 minutes, add the broccoli florets and blanch for another 5 minutes. Remove the vegetables with a slotted spoon, rinse with cold water, and drain. Bring the stock back to a boil and cook the pasta in it for about 12 minutes until al dente. Drain, reserving about 1/4 liter of the pasta water. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan. Season the chicken breast strips with salt and fry over medium heat for 4 minutes on each side. Remove the meat from the pan and season with pepper. Melt the butter in a pan over low heat, finely chop the sage, and add it. Fry the sage in the butter over medium heat until crispy. Toss the meat in the pan, cover the pan, and set aside. In a large pan, sauté the garlic, chili, and broccoli in 4 tablespoons of olive oil until lightly browned. Place the halved tomatoes, cut-side down, in the center of the pan and cook over low heat for 3 minutes. Add the pasta and the reserved pasta water to the pan and mix thoroughly with the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the pasta and meat separately.