Mediterranean Chicken Bake [with artichokes, olives, and feta]

We  were behind this week on recipes, so here in a Saturday Story with today's recipe!

When Blake and I first got married, I was a little taken back when I noticed that he added hot sauce to everything that I cooked for dinner. There are a few things that I realized since we're been married for almost 7 years.

One. He adds hot sauce to everything. In fact, the first time I opened his fridge at his house while we were dating, I swear all I saw was every variety of hot sauce that you could ever imagine. That has changed since Blake and his dad got married!

Two. I realized that I loved bland food. I grew up eating and loving it, never adding salt, pepper, ranch, or hot sauce, or even thinking about doing so. Not such a bad thing I think!

My taste buds have evolved, and I now love flavor.

Well, to my big surprise, no such "additive" was added to my meal as I watched Blake devour it all up. I thought something had gone terribly wrong...but when I questioned him on why he did not add any additional flavorings to this meal, he replied with, "well I just don't want to ruin the flavor!" A few bites later he added, "this is my new favorite meal." Ok wow, what on earth did he want from me? Well nothing, he just loved it.

Booyea.

Time: 45 minutes total (30 minutes of down time)
Servings: 4-6

• 2 cups uncooked rotini
• 1 Tbs olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 green bell pepper
• 2 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped (or about 2 cups)
• 1-14.5 ounce can  of diced tomatoes, with juices
• 1-14 ounce can of artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
• 3/4 cup of sliced kalamata olives (or a 6 ounce can, drained)
• 1 to 1.5 tsp italian seasoning
• 2 cups, or 8 ounces, of shredded mozzarella cheese
• Feta cheese to crumble on top (optional)

1. Fire up your oven, 350 degrees F. Oil a 2-quart casserole or spray it with cooking spray.
2. Cook your pasta until al-dente (you don't need to add salt, there is enough natural salt in this dish already), about 6-7 minutes. Drain and set aside.
3. In the meantime, heat olive oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. When hot, add chopped onions and peppers for 1 minute. Add cooked chicken, diced tomatoes with juices, cooked pasta, artichokes, olives, and italian seasoning. Mix until combined.
4. Place 1/2 the chicken mixture in casserole. Sprinkle half the cheese, and repeat.
5. Cover it up, and bake it for about 30 minutes until hot and bubbly.
6. Serve warm and add a little bit (not too much, it's already a salty dish) of feta cheese if you want!

Bon Appetit!

Cathy

Adapted from "Artichoke-Olive Chicken Bake" recipe in The One Dish Bible.