Caprese Chicken with Pasta

Posted on February 13, 2014

I can guarantee the following things with this recipe. Firstly, even the most confused kitchen adventurer can make this recipe. Secondly, it will taste like it was prepared in a brilliant Italian restaurant. With that information in hand, proceed!

I’m always going back and forth between what do I like better Italian food or Mexican food. The decision? Why choose? Both! Alternate days with them, heck, alternate within meals in a single day!

If you are frantically looking for a Valentine’s Day meal recipe, I’d recommend this!

Caprese Chicken with Pasta

(Adapted from The Novice Chef)

Ingredients:

(For the chicken)

4 chicken breasts

2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved

2 tablespoons of olive oil

3 cloves of garlic, minced

10 basil leaves, chopped

8 oz fresh mozzarella, cut into 8 slices

splash of balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

(For the pasta)

penne

juice of 1 lemon

dash of olive oil

parmesan to top

Is it weird that I love cooked tomatoes but am not a fan of raw ones?

Instructions:

Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken and set aside.

Add one tablespoon of the olive oil to a large saute pan. Put the chicken in this pan, cover and cook for about 10 minutes. In another pan, add the last tablespoon of olive oil and saute the garlic for about a minute. Then add in the tomatoes and continue to saute them until the skin begins to soften and wrinkle, about 5 minutes. Add basil and remove from the heat.

Tomatoes with their little skins softening.

Once the chicken is no longer pink on the inside, pour the tomato mixture around the chicken. Then add two slices of mozzarella to each piece of chicken. Cover the pan with the lid to allow the mozzarella to melt, about two more minutes.

At this point, the dish is starting to smell phenomenal!

Backing up a few steps, whilst the chicken was cooking start making your pasta. I think it’s obvious that the chicken needs to be the star of this dish, so you want to show it off against a pasta that is clean, fresh and simple. When your pasta is cooked and strained, add it to a bowl, toss it with some olive oil, the lemon juice, some grated parmesan, and salt and pepper. Set it aside to serve it under your chicken.