Zesty Chicken Marinara

Terrence asked me to coffee. Not at church — outside of church. A real invitation, in a text, that said: "Would you want to grab coffee sometime this week? No pressure. Just coffee." No pressure. Just coffee. Six words that sound simple and are not simple at all because "coffee" is not coffee when you're a twenty-six-year-old single mother who hasn't been on a date since 2015 and whose last relationship ended with a man moving out while the baby slept.

I said yes. I said yes because the "not yet" I've been carrying is starting to feel less like wisdom and more like fear, and I decided — in the dental chair, between patients, holding a scaler — that I am done making decisions based on what Marcus did. Marcus left. That is Marcus's story. My story has a different ending. My story has a coffee date with a man who waited a month before asking, who uses the word "exceptional" about cornbread, who has kind eyes and doesn't push.

The coffee was Wednesday after work. A shop in East Nashville called Barista Parlor — exposed brick, good espresso, the kind of place that exists in Nashville and didn't exist when I was growing up in Antioch. Terrence was already there. He stood when I walked in. HE STOOD. Nobody has ever stood when I walked into a room. Marcus certainly didn't. My father certainly didn't. But Terrence stood, and he smiled, and he said, "I'm glad you came."

We talked for two hours. TWO HOURS. I told him about the kids. He asked their names. He asked their ages. He asked what they liked (Chloe: books. Jayden: orange things and dinosaurs). He asked about Mama. He asked about my job. He asked about the community screening. He asked about everything and I told him everything and I didn't feel like I was being interviewed — I felt like I was being listened to. There's a difference. Interviews want answers. Listening wants understanding. Terrence wants to understand. I'm not used to being understood. I'm used to being needed, used, tolerated, survived. Understanding is new. Understanding is terrifying. Understanding is the coffee cooling in my cup because I forgot to drink it because I was too busy being heard.

I drove home and called Tanisha. I said, "I went on a date." She screamed. I said, "It was just coffee." She said, "Sarah Mitchell, you haven't been on a date in three years. That was not just coffee. That was a DECLARATION." She's dramatic. She's also right.

I made chicken tikka masala this week — a new recipe, something I've never tried, because I felt brave. Yogurt-marinated chicken, tomato cream sauce, garam masala, served over rice. It was imperfect and delicious and exactly what you make when you've just been on a coffee date and your hands are shaking and you need to do something with them. You cook. You always cook. The kitchen holds you when the world is new.

That night, after I got home and called Tanisha and the kids were finally asleep, I needed to do something with my hands — and I needed it to be new. I pulled out this Zesty Chicken Marinara, a recipe I’d bookmarked months ago and never felt brave enough to try, because trying new things had quietly stopped feeling safe. Wednesday changed that. If I could walk into Barista Parlor and sit across from a man with kind eyes and let myself be heard, I could absolutely turn on the stove and make something I’d never made before. The kitchen held me, just like it always does.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 25 min | Total Time: 40 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 oz each)
1 jar (24 oz) marinara sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons fresh basil, torn, for garnish
Cooked pasta or rice, for serving

Instructions

Season the chicken. Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, combine Italian seasoning, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Rub the mixture evenly over both sides of each chicken breast.
Sear the chicken. Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and cook 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown. The chicken does not need to be fully cooked through at this stage.
Add the sauce. Pour marinara sauce evenly over the seared chicken. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover the skillet, and simmer for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Melt the cheese. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella over each chicken breast. Replace the lid and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more until the cheese is fully melted and bubbly.
Serve. Spoon chicken and sauce over cooked pasta or rice. Garnish with torn fresh basil and serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving)

Zesty Chicken Marinara — What You Cook When Your Hands Are Shaking and Your Heart Is New