Pasta Alla Norma with Chicken

Pasta alla Norma with chicken is a variation from a Sicilian pasta recipe featuring tender roasted eggplant, al dente pasta tossed in a tomato sauce, garnished with parmesan cheese, and fresh basil. It is utterly delicious and packed with so much flavor. The perfect easy, light, and healthy weeknight dinner and simple showstopper for the whole family!

Don’t worry, you can make it vegan-friendly by cutting the chicken and cheese here!

The name of Pasta Alla Norma might sound really fancy, but it’s actually just a super simple but tasty tomato and eggplant sauce stirred through pasta. Add a pinch of chili flakes and a lot of fresh basil along with parmesan cheese! This is a main dish that’s everything you want in a pasta – comforting, satisfying, and slurp-worthy good!

Here is a brief overview; first, roasting diced eggplant in a hot oven guarantees perfectly crispy, browned results every time and reduces the watery texture. Second, make pasta and the sauce. Then, Simply toss the tomato sauce & roasted eggplant with pasta & parmesan cheese for a light & fresh dinner that rivals your favorite Italian restaurant. They called it the perfect summer dish but I bet it is perfect for every time!

Traditional Sicilian Pasta

Originally from Sicily, Pasta alla Norma is a beloved Italian pasta dish featuring eggplant, tomato sauce, basil, and ricotta salata (a salted ricotta cheese). Serve with short pasta like penne or rigatoni, but you can use other shapes like spaghetti pasta too as I do. This classic dish, once known as “pasta con le melanzane” (which means “pasta with eggplant”), combines fried eggplant with pasta and tomato sauce, all topped with ricotta salata.

In this twist on the traditional recipe, I add chicken to make it a heartier meal with extra protein. Combine the mixture with your favorite cooked pasta and finish it off with a sprinkle of grated ricotta salata or Parmesan cheese.

You can make the original just leave out the chicken, and if you wish to make vegan pasta alla norma omit the cheese (I have no idea is a vegan cheese?) but it should exist, right?

Fortunately, there are good options right there in your supermarket. Worst case scenario, you can always use parmesan. It’s not quite the same, but it’ll serve the same function. 

Ingredients of Pasta Alla Norma with Chicken

• Spaghetti; I have I’ve also really enjoyed using spaghetti for this recipe. However, traditionally macaroni or rigatoni is used for pasta alla norma. You can also use ziti, spaghetti, or any pasta along those lines.
• Eggplant; it’s the star of this dish, so make sure you buy a really fresh eggplant. A good and fresh eggplant should have shiny and smooth skin. Wrinkled and dull skin is a sign that the eggplant is old or was poorly stored, its skin will be most likely tough and chewy. You will need a big, meaty eggplant. Fresh and plump eggplants are the best as they render to creamy perfection upon cooking.
• Olive oil; adds richness and depth to the eggplants which then gets carried to the yummy sauce 
• Pinch of salt and black pepper; To season pasta alla norma
• Ground chicken; If you’re vegan or making vegetarian pasta just omit the ground chicken easily. The original version also left out the chicken, It’s just me being too much but my husband is not a fan of eggplant, so I had to add chicken

Sauce

• Cloves garlic, minced; for my fellow garlic lovers. The aromatic base for our delicious tomato sauce but you only need a couple so it doesn’t overpower it
• Onion, sliced; essential for flavor base for simple pasta sauces, without which the sauce is too bland!
• Olive oil; adds richness and depth to the pasta alla norma
• Tomato paste/tomato puree; You can use whole canned tomatoes/diced tomatoes/crushed tomatoes/or tomato passata. For information, Normal crushed or diced canned tomato will also work but you will need to simmer for around 20 minutes until the tomato starts to break down to create a nice thick pasta sauce. You’ll find passata in the pasta section of regular supermarkets nowadays, and it doesn’t cost much more than canned tomatoes. 
• Italian herbs; add a touch of extra flavor to this quick sauce;
• Chili flakes; optional
• Pinch of salt and pepper; Freshly ground black pepper, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes round out the flavors in this dish. If you’re sensitive to spice, go light on the red pepper flakes or omit them entirely.

Topping

• Fresh basil; it’s not Pasta alla Norma without basil! basil is essential for that authentic Sicilian touch, to give the sauce a lovely freshness and beautiful aroma. If you can’t get your hands on fresh, you can use dried basil or dried oregano.
• Parmesan cheese; I must admit that The original recipe uses the ricotta salata and it is the best option here. On the other hand, Parmesan is a great alternative, Its fresh and milky taste perfectly cuts through the eggplants’ fattiness. So I use parmesan cheese here.

How to Make Pasta Alla Norma with Chicken

I’m going to roast the eggplant first, you can saute it too. Firstly, The eggplant is usually diced, salted, and left to drain to remove any bitterness. Preheat the oven to 200°C (about 400°F). Line a baking tray with baking paper and drizzle with olive oil.

Next, season the eggplant. mix the eggplant with salt and pepper, then arrange it on the baking tray. Roast for 20 minutes.

Flip the eggplant and roast for another 5 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven and set aside.

Now, bring a pot of water to a boil, adding a little oil and salt. Cook the pasta until al dente. You can Boil pasta 80% of the way and allow it to finish in the pasta sauce. This will give you the ultimate flavor.

In another pan, Let’s make the sauce. heat olive oil over medium heat. Saute the garlic and onion until fragrant.

Then, add ground chicken, tomato puree, Italian herbs, chili flakes, a bit of salt, and pepper. Stir until well combined.

And, add the roasted eggplant and pasta to the pan, and mix until the pasta is coated with the sauce.

Finally, serve the pasta topped with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves. Pasta alla Norma with Chicken Pasta can be served as a hearty main course, perfect for a family dinner. It pairs well with a simple green salad

Storage Instructions

• Store any leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
• Reheat on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of water to keep the sauce moist. You can also use a microwave until the dish is heated through.
• If you prefer, you can freeze the pasta sauce for 1-2 months. Cook new pasta when you’re ready to enjoy the meal.

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