Tapenade Chicken Pasta with Runner Beans

More runner beans! Oh well even though the season is over, it's useful to have recipes for the glut you know is coming next year! I bought a tub of tapenade on a trip to Borough Market and then completely forgot what I wanted to use it for so was scrabbling around to find recipes. I loved the colours in this recipe; the contrast of the black/purpley sauce, red tomatoes and green beans looked visually really appealing, even if the photo below is mired by steam!

Tapenade Chicken Pasta with Runner Beans (from Good Food Magazine September 2013)
(Serves 4)

2 skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

300g penne

500g runner beans, sides peeled if stringy, thickly sliced on the diagonal

2 tbsp black olive tapenade

1 tbsp oil

4 garlic cloves, chopped

250g cherry tomatoes, halved

handful basil leaves

 

Bring a pan of water to the boil, add the penne and cook according to packet instructions adding the beans for the last 5- mins, then drain.

 

Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the garlic and stir-fry for 1 min. Tip in three quarters of the tomatoes and cook for another 5 mins until softened. Add the tapenade, pasta, beans and chicken to the pan, and toss everything together. Season, stir through the basil leaves  and reserved tomatoes and serve.