Chicken Primavera Pasta deliciously loaded with penne pasta, juicy chicken, buttery squash, and vibrant tomatoes, cloaked in a light, buttery garlic sauce!
- 3 cups dry penne pasta cooked according to package directions, **do not discard of the pasta water**
- 1 cup grape tomatoes
- 1 zucchini quartered lengthwise and cut ½" thick
- 1 yellow squash quartered lengthwise and cut ½" thick
- 1 red bell pepper seeded and cut into ½" dice
- 3 teaspoons Kosher salt, separated
- 1 ½ teaspoon black pepper, separated
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, separated
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cloves of garlic finely chopped
- ¼ cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
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Preheat the oven to 400°F and have ready a rimmed sheet pan lined with nonstick aluminum foil or parchment paper.
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Add the tomatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, and bell pepper to the sheet pan and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of oil, 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, and a ½ teaspoon black pepper. Toss to combine and set aside until ready to use.
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On a work surface, pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and season with 2 teaspoons Kosher salt and 1 teaspoon of black pepper.
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Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat and allow it to come to temperature. Add the chicken breasts and sear until golden-brown (for about 3-4 minutes) on the first side, then flip and sear for about 2-3 minutes more. Remove the pan from the heat, but do not wash it.
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Transfer the chicken to the prepared sheet pan with the vegetables and bake for 15-18 minutes, until it is completely cooked through. Remove the pan from the oven and set aside to rest 10 minutes. Slice the chicken breasts into strips a ½" thick and set aside.
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Return the pan to medium heat and add the butter. As soon as the butter has melted, use a spatula to loosen any bits from the pan, add the garlic, and stir -- about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in a ½ cup pasta water to the pan, followed by the pasta, and stir to coat. Lastly, toss in the vegetables and Pecorino-Romano. Top with sliced chicken, serve and enjoy!