Chicken Bruschetta Pasta

This Bruschetta Chicken Pasta is a quick and easy, dizzyingly delicious dinner with an actual cook time of less than 15 minutes! It’s a hypnotic blend of tangy balsamic, herbaceous basil and aromatic garlic with bright pops of blistered tomatoes and juicy balsamic chicken, bolstered with additional herbs and plenty of Parmesan cheese. It’s a charming stress-free weeknight dinner that will instantly become a new favorite-it’s definitely one of ours! You can follow the Bruschetta Chicken Pasta recipe as written or add additional veggies such as bell peppers, asparagus, mushrooms, spinach, etc. because at the end of the day, it’s all about the sweet and tangy balsamic, basil, garlic sauce! Serve this easy chicken pasta recipe with strawberry spinach salad, baked Parmesan asparagus and Parmesan breadsticks for a complete meal the whole family will love!

📝 Ingredients

• 1 pound chicken breasts chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 1 pound thin spaghetti or pasta of choice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 pints cherry/grape tomatoes
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 4-6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup packed basil, chopped
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 tsp EACH dried basil, dried oregano, salt
• 1/2 tsp EACH dried parsley, pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Whisk together the Balsamic Marinade/Sauce ingredients. Transfer 2 tablespoons to a freezer safe bag or bowl with the chicken. Marinate at room temperature for 15-30 minutes or in the refrigerator for up to 4 hours.
2. 2Meanwhile, cook pasta al dente according to package directions in generously salted water. Remove 1 cup pasta water before draining. Drain and rinse the pasta, then toss with a drizzle the untouched balsamic sauce to prevent the pasta from sticking together.
3. 3Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until browned on all sides, but not cooked through, transfer to a plate (it will finish cooking later in the sauce).
4. 4Reduce heat to medium-low. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in the chicken drippings. Add tomatoes, onions and garlic. Cook until the tomatoes begin to burst, 5-8 minutes, stirring constantly and scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan.
5. 5Add the chicken back to the pan along with remaining sauce (not touched by the raw chicken). Simmer until slightly thickened and the chicken is cooked through, 1-2 minutes.
6. 6Stir in fresh basil and Parmesan. Stir in pasta until well coated, adding some reserved pasta water a little at a time if needed to reach desired consistency. Taste and season with additional salt, pepper and/or red pepper flakes to taste.
7. 7Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan Cheese and additional basil if desired