Escarole with Caramelized Onions & Chickpeas

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large sweet onion (such as Vidalia; about 1 pound), thinly sliced
1 large bunch escarole (about 1 1/2 pounds), washed and torn into pieces
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound (2-1/3 cups uncooked) multigrain penne pasta (such as Barilla Plus)
1 can (15.5 ounces) chickpeas, undrained
Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

1. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, for 15 to 23 minutes or until golden. Lower heat if onion is browning too quickly.

2. Add escarole and raisins to skillet. Cook, turning occasionally, for about 6 minutes, until leaves are tender and stem ends are still crunchy. Sprinkle with salt.

3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook penne according to package directions, about 11 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water, and return pasta to pot.

4. Stir in chickpeas with their liquid. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes or until heated through. Serve over pasta, adding reserved pasta water if needed to thin sauce. Sprinkle with grated cheese, if desired.

Serving Size: Makes 4 servings

Number of Servings: 4

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user FAMILY_RECIPES.