Sometimes you can get bored with the typical red sauce or cream sauce, so you want to switch it up. I have just the sauce for you – pomodoro! I only recently discovered it, but J insists it’s basically just really fresh marinara with a fancy name lol.

Pomodoro is different (IMO) because you don’t cook the sauce down low and slow. It’s a quick saute of tomatoes and their juices, delicious herbs, and garlic. I add a secret ingredient that takes this sauce to the next level (you could leave it out, but I think you’ll regret it if you do!). Plus, I have been making Gordon Ramsay’s famous soft scrambled eggs every chance I get now, so I have this secret ingredient on hand, it’s not cheap, and I need to use it up ha.

What do you pair pomodoro sauce with? Pasta, obviously! But when I first made this a few weeks ago, I was super busy and eating lots of takeout, J and I were preparing to head off to Europe (a.k.a. foodie heaven) for some island hopping, and I did NOT need any excess carbs. Zoodles to the rescue 🙂 Add some protein, and you have a well-balanced and very pretty meal!

Zucchini Noodle Chicken Pomodoro

Serves 2.

Ingredients:

1 28-oz can whole peeled tomatoes*

2 medium zucchini (spiralized into noodles)

1 broiled chicken breast, sliced into strips

1 tbs minced garlic

2 tbs creme fraiche

1/2 cup fresh basil, sliced into thin strips

1 tbs extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

Fresh cracked black pepper

Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, freshly grated

*Note: If you want to be really authentic, you could grate these tomatoes on a cheese grater before putting them in the pan instead of mashing them with a spoon as I suggest; you could even use fresh tomatoes. However, sometimes on a weeknight I simply have no time for that (nor do I have the patience to clean up that mess… )Next best thing? Use my method + San Marzano D.O.P. certified canned whole tomatoes.

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium pan over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic, and saute until fragrant (a couple minutes).
2. Add the can of tomatoes, and simmer for about 5 minutes or until heated through, mashing up the whole tomatoes with the back of your wooden spoon.
3. Add the fresh basil, stir, and simmer for 5 minutes more. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Reduce the heat to medium, and stir in the creme fraiche until fully incorporated. Stir in the zucchini noodles, and heat through.
5. Divide the zucchini noodles and sauce between two plates, and top each serving with chicken strips and fresh Parmigiano Reggiano.
6. Serve immediately (zucchini noodles release water and will thin out your sauce quickly!)