Name: Bruschetta Chicken Pasta
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts; 1/4 cup DeLallo Extra Virgin Olive Oil + 1 tablespoon; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1 teaspoon dried basil; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon pepper; 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano; 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper; 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved or quatered; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil; 2 tablespoons diced sweet onion; 2 teaspoons olive oil; 3 to 4 ounces mozzarella cheese (slices work best, or freshly grated); DeLallo Balsamic Glaze, for drizzling; 1/2 pound DeLallo Penne Rigate, cooked; a few handfuls of fresh basil, for sprinkling; shaved parmesan, if desired

Bruschetta Chicken Pasta

We are totally obsessed with this bruschetta chicken pasta because it’s so versatile. Yes, this entire dish is a big meal, but you can use the chicken for all those things I mentioned above, leftovers for lunch, all that jazz. And it’s so super flavorful for summer! To die for cherry tomatoes, fresh basil – the most delicious things coming out of our gardens right now.

Ingredients

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/4 cup DeLallo Extra Virgin Olive Oil + 1 tablespoon

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved or quatered

4 garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

2 tablespoons diced sweet onion

2 teaspoons olive oil

3 to 4 ounces mozzarella cheese (slices work best, or freshly grated)

DeLallo Balsamic Glaze, for drizzling

1/2 pound DeLallo Penne Rigate, cooked

a few handfuls of fresh basil, for sprinkling

shaved parmesan, if desired

Directions

Take the chicken and pound it a few times with a meat tenderizer. Place it in a ziplock bag or baking dish. Whisk together the 1/4 cup oil, garlic, basil, salt, pepper, oregano and red pepper. Pour it over the chicken and marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, garlic, basil, onion and olive oil with a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss well.

Heat an oven-safe skillet over medium heat and add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Take the chicken out of the marinade and add it to the skillet. Brown the chicken on both sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Once both sides are browned, place the cheese on top of each chicken breast. Top each chicken breast with a big spoonful of the bruschetta mixture – don’t use it all, because you’ll add the pasta to it. Drizzle the balsamic glaze on top of the chicken. Bake the chicken for 15 minutes.

While the chicken is baking, boil the pasta. Once the past is done, drain it and immediately place it in a large bowl and toss with the bruschetta mixture and a tablespoon or so of olive oil if needed. Slice the chicken and place it on top of the pasta. Add a handful of fresh basil leaves and toss well. Serve immediately!