Creamy Thai Basil Chicken Fusilli with Burst Tomatoes

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Slice the 1 lb of chicken breast into bite-sized strips and season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Trim the ends of the 6 oz of haricots verts and cut them in half.

Add the 12 oz of fusilli to the boiling water. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the haricots verts to the same pot. Cook for 3-4 more minutes until the pasta is al dente and beans are tender-crisp. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain.

While pasta cooks, heat 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chicken strips and sauté for 5-6 minutes until golden and cooked through. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside.

In the same skillet, add the remaining 1 tbsp butter. Add 1 pint of cherry tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes until they begin to blister. Stir in the 4 minced garlic cloves and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.

Deglaze the pan with 1/2 cup dry white wine, scraping up any browned bits. Simmer for 2 minutes to reduce slightly. Lower heat to medium and stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream. Simmer for 1 minute.

Return the cooked chicken and the drained pasta/green bean mixture to the skillet. Toss to coat everything in the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, splash in a little of the reserved pasta water.

Remove from heat. Immediately fold in the 1 cup of fresh Thai basil leaves and 2 cups of arugula. The residual heat will wilt the greens perfectly. Taste and add remaining salt/pepper if needed. Serve immediately.