Description
Bruschetta Chicken Pasta brings together juicy chicken, fresh tomatoes, and aromatic basil in a delightful dish that’s easy to prepare. Perfect for a quick dinner, this flavorful entree will satisfy your cravings for homemade goodness!
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 large chicken breasts, about 1¼–1½ lb total
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon italian seasoning, or dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 12 oz pasta, penne, rigatoni, or spaghetti
- 3 tablespoon olive oil, or 2 tbsp olive oil + 1 tbsp butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved (or 2 cups diced roma tomatoes)
- 2 tablespoons capers, drained (add 1 tbsp caper brine too, optional but great)
- ¼ cup chicken stock or dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons balsamic glaze or 2 tsp balsamic vinegar, to taste
- ⅓ cup fresh basil, sliced/chopped
- ¼ cup grated parmesan, optional
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella pearls, halved (or 1 cup diced fresh mozzarella)
- Extra basil and Parmesan for serving
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta.
- Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear the chicken for 5–7 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through (165°F on an instant read thermometer). Transfer to a plate and let it rest for 5–10 minutes before slicing.
- In the same skillet (do not wipe it out), lower the heat to medium. Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil (or oil and butter). Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes; cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in the halved tomatoes and capers. Cook for 3–5 minutes until the tomatoes soften and slightly burst. Add the chicken stock or white wine and scrape up any browned bits from the skillet. Simmer for 1–2 minutes, then stir in the balsamic glaze (or vinegar). Taste and adjust salt or pepper as needed.
- Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss everything together, adding reserved pasta water as needed until the sauce coats the pasta and thickens.
- Remove from heat, then toss in basil and mozzarella (allow it to soften but not fully melt). Serve the pasta on plates, topping it with sliced chicken and spooning extra tomato-caper sauce over the chicken. Finish with additional basil and Parmesan.
Notes
For extra flavor, consider marinating the chicken in olive oil, salt, and Italian seasoning for a few hours before cooking.
Feel free to substitute the pasta type with your favorite!
Adjust the level of crushed red pepper flakes to suit your spice preference.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 570
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 850mg
- Fat: 23g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 56g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 85mg