Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Season generously with salt. It should be almost as salty as the sea.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet with high sides to a medium heat. Add olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion, carrot, celery and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Sweat the veggies, stirring often until they are slightly softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minutes.
3. Add the ground chicken to the pan along with another 1/2 teaspoon salt and thyme. Use a wooden spoon to break up the meat into very small pieces. Continue to cook until the chicken is cooked through.
4. Stir in the tomato paste. Cook for 1 minute. Stir in the white wine. Use your wooden spoon to scrape up all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer until the wine is slightly reduced. Add cherry tomatoes. Stir. Cook the mixture over a medium heat until the cherry tomatoes start to blister. Use the back of your spoon to smash 3/4 of the tomatoes. This should create a sauce. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Simmer for another 3-4 minutes.
5. After you add the tomatoes, drop the pasta into the boiling water. Cook until just under aldente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
6. Add the goat cheese and basil to the tomato mixture. Stir until the goat cheese has melted. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
7. Use tongs to transfer the cooked pasta to the chicken and sauce. Toss until coated. Add a little bit of pasta water to loosen the sauce up and to reach desired consistency (I used 1/2 cup). Season to taste with salt and pepper.