Adapted from Fireman Favorites by Firefighter Cruz Macias

I was anxious to try out a recipe from my new Fireman Favorites cookbook.  This one sounded so fresh and flavorful I thought I’d give it a try.  Note that if you do buy the cookbook the recipes are designed to serve a firehouse.  I pared down Cruz’s recipe for my family.  There are no italics, as other than adding a lot of salt and pepper, I loved this just as Cruz intended:

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch squares
2 tablespoons olive oil
½  medium onion, minced
3-4 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. ounces ziti or penne pasta
1 lb. cups broccoli florets
14 oz oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes

Plenty of salt and pepper to taste
Optional: freshly grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Add the chicken pieces to the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.

Add the onion, garlic, and pepper/salt to taste . Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the onion is softened, 2 to 5 minutes.

Add the broccoli and sun-dried tomatoes. Cover the skillet, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the broccoli is tender.

Remove from heat, serve over noodles, top with Parmesan if desired.

Serves 4-6 firefighter, 6-8 homebuddies.  Paired with a Sequoia Grove Merlot to counterbalance the acidity in the tomatoes.