Chimichurri Chicken Pasta (Printable Version)

Grilled chicken combined with al dente pasta and herby chimichurri sauce. A lively fusion twist ready in under an hour.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chimichurri Sauce

01 - 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
02 - 2 tablespoons fresh oregano, finely chopped
03 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 1 small shallot, finely chopped
05 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
06 - 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
07 - 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
08 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
09 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Chicken

10 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 1 pound 2 ounces)
11 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
12 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
13 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
14 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Pasta

15 - 12 ounces penne, rigatoni, or spaghetti
16 - Salt for pasta water

→ Garnish

17 - Extra chopped fresh parsley
18 - Lemon wedges

# Steps:

01 - In a medium bowl, combine parsley, oregano, garlic, shallot, and red pepper flakes. Pour in olive oil and red wine vinegar, then season with salt and black pepper. Mix thoroughly and allow to rest for 10 minutes to develop flavors.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking liquid before draining.
03 - Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Combine smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Rub seasoning mixture evenly over both sides of chicken breasts.
04 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, place seasoned chicken breasts in the pan. Cook for 12-13 minutes, turning halfway through, until internal temperature reaches 165°F. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes, then slice into bite-sized pieces.
05 - In a large serving bowl, toss hot pasta with reserved cooking liquid. Add sliced chicken and chimichurri sauce, tossing gently until well coated. Adjust seasoning as needed with additional salt and pepper.
06 - Divide pasta mixture among serving plates. Garnish with fresh parsley and lemon wedges on the side.

# Expert Insights:

01 -
  • The chimichurri sauce transforms ordinary pasta into something restaurant worthy with almost zero effort
  • You can make the sauce ahead and it actually tastes better after resting in the fridge
02 -
  • The chimichurri needs at least 15 minutes to rest so the harsh raw garlic mellows into the oil
  • Always save some pasta water because the sauce needs that starch to cling properly to every noodle
03 -
  • Chimichurri is infinitely adaptable so adjust the heat level by adding more or fewer red pepper flakes
  • room temperature sauce coats hot pasta much better than cold sauce straight from the fridge
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