Before beginning the recipe remember to read the "Invent Your Recipe" section below for additional suggestions, recipe combinations, or ingredient alternatives.
Preparing the Vegetables:
In a large skillet add the extra virgin olive oil and bring to a high heat. Next, add the garlic and onion and sauté for 2 minutes, mixing occasionally.
Next, add the zucchini, eggplant, and peas and sauté for 5 minutes, mixing occasionally.
Bringing it all Together:
Add the chicken, salt, ground black pepper, and oregano and sauté for 5 minutes, mixing occasionally.
Next, add the tomato paste and water and mix to incorporate well. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, mixing occasionally, or until the chicken is cooked through.
To Serve:
Serve this chicken with garden vegetables on top of pasta or by itself with some crusty Italian bread.
Notes
Invent Your Recipe:I picked zucchini and eggplant for this recipe because that is what I picked fresh from my vegetable garden the day I put this recipe together back in July. This recipe can work with all kinds or vegetables, including, spinach, Swiss chard, asparagus, and green beans, to name a few.I suggest serving this dish over pasta, which is the way I ate it. However, I am a pasta lover so I always seem to have that as part of the dish. This recipe could benefit with the addition of beans. Cannellini, great northern, red kidney, navy, or pinto beans would all work well. The beans would add some heartiness to the dish. If you choose to use beans, I would use 1 can of beans and add them when you add the tomato paste.I use 12 oz. of water because I fill the tomato paste can twice with water and empty that into the dish. I find this to be easier than getting a measuring cup and it loosens some of the remaining paste from the can which I then add to the dish. If you are looking for some additional flavor in this dish, you could use chicken broth instead of water.If you do not like tomato paste, leave out the water and use fresh cherry tomatoes, diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, or zero tomatoes at all.The chicken strips turned out great in this dish and I do recommend you use chicken in this recipe. However, boneless pork chops or loin is easily adaptable to this dish. Slice the pork into strips and follow the recipe. During the last step, when you simmer for 10 minutes, I would just check the pork after 5 minutes to see if it is cooked through. The boneless pork tends to get tough and chewy if cooked too long.