Pesto Chicken Pasta

Fill a medium pot 3/4 of the way up with salted water; cover and heat to boiling on high. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Halve the zucchini lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise. Halve the tomatoes. Peel and roughly chop 2 cloves of garlic.

In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the sliced zucchini in an even layer. Cook, without stirring, 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the halved tomatoes and chopped garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until softened. Transfer to a bowl. Wipe out the pan.

Meanwhile, add the pasta to the pot of boiling water. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 to 7 minutes, or until al dente (still slightly firm to the bite). Turn off the heat. Reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, drain thoroughly and return to the pot.

Meanwhile, pat the chicken dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper. In the same pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned chicken in an even layer. Cook, without stirring, 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add as much of the red pepper flakes as you'd like, depending on how spicy you'd like the dish to be. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until the chicken is browned and cooked through. Turn off the heat.

To the pot of cooked pasta, add the cooked chicken, cooked vegetables, and half the reserved pasta cooking water. Season with salt and pepper. Cook on medium-high, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes, or until thoroughly combined. Turn off the heat. Stir in the pesto and mascarpone until the pasta is coated (if necessary, gradually add the remaining cooking water to ensure the pasta is thoroughly coated). Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve the finished pasta garnished with the parmesan. Enjoy!