If I had to choose the dish I would rather have than any other, it would probably be this one. It combines several of my favorites flavors: balsamic vinegar (which I believe to be The Ultimate Condiment), feta cheese, and grilled chicken. It is a quick and delicious meal that packs a lot of flavor.
We have always called this dish Chicken Orecchiette, but it can be made with any kind of small hearty pasta. When we were preparing the dish for photos and video, we didn’t have access to orecchiette and had to use shells. Many of you have told us in the past that you also didn’t have access to it. Mediterranean Chicken with Pasta is a better descriptor and isn’t limited to a specific type of pasta, so we are changing the name for clarity.
If I have cooked chicken, peppers, and onions from the freezer, I can have this on the table in about 15 minutes. If not, it still comes in at under 30 minutes.
Sauté the pepper and onion in about a tablespoon of oil over medium heat, then add the tomatoes and basil. Fire-roasted tomatoes are really good in this dish.
Mix the cooked shells with the balsamic vinegar and add to the pan along with the Parmesan and feta cheeses.
Season to taste with salt and pepper and sprinkle with additional feta before serving.
Enjoy!
Mediterranean Chicken with Pasta
Ingredients
- 16 oz shell or orecchiette pasta, cooked & rinsed
- 1 Tbsp light extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 can diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 medium red pepper
- 1 medium onion
- 3 cups cooked chicken, cubed
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped (or 2-3 tsp. dried)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled, plus extra for garnish
- 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Dice red pepper and onion; sauté in a tablespoon of oil.
- And chicken, tomatoes, and basil and mix well.
- In a bowl, combine cooked pasta and balsamic vinegar. Add to pan with chicken and vegetables.
- Season with salt and pepper then add feta and Parmesan cheeses.
- Toss well and serve immediately, garnishing with extra feta cheese.
Notes
- Orecchiette pasta's hearty thickness is the perfect for this dish, but not all stores carry it. If you can't find it, pasta shells are the best substitution.
- This can be made vegetarian by omitting the chicken or using your favorite plant-based substitution.
Nutrition
Joanna
I had gotten behind today and we had eaten all of our grilled chicken so I bought a rotisserie chicken at the store and threw that in with the pasta. It was a quick and easy meal.
Mary Ann
Thanks, Joanna. I’ve done that before and it was good, but I found that the chicken shredded more than I preferred because it was so tender. It’s an easy and cheap way to do prepared chicken, though.