Last week I happened on this recipe in another congregation's newsletter left behind on a chair at church. I have no idea who to credit this recipe to--I just know it's a new family favorite! My dad has zucchini coming out of his ears these days and we had a few red onions from my grandpa's garden, so this end-of-summer pasta recipe was perfect for Sunday dinner. Even if you don't make this pasta dish, you NEED to try the marinade for chicken breasts on the grill before the weather turns. I am not kidding--it is the best chicken marinade I have ever tasted. Ever. Ever. We loved this dish warm, but my mom had cold leftovers the next day for lunch and said it was just as delish!
Ingredients:
1 c. olive oil, divided
1/3 c. reduced-sodium soy sauce (I used regular and it was fine!)
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
3 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 1/2 lbs. skinless, boneless chicken breasts, rinsed
1 lb. zucchini
2 red bell peppers
2 portabella mushroom caps
1 red onion
1 lb. dried penne pasta
1 1/2 c. freshly grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
1/2 c. fresh basil leaves, slivered
Directions:
In a bowl, whisk together 2/3 c. olive oil, soy sauce, vinegar, mustard, and garlic. Reserve 1/2 c. marinade for basting vegetables; pour remaining marinade into a 1-gallon Ziploc plastic bag. Cut chicken lengthwise into 1-inch-wide strips and add to bag. Seal bag and turn to coat chicken. Chill about 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut vegetables. Slice zucchini into 1/4-inch-thick strips; stem and seed bell peppers, quarter lengthwise; peel onion and slice crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Brush vegetables with reserved marinade.
Cooking in batches if necessary, lay vegetables and chicken (discard marinade) on a gas grill over medium-high heat; close grill lid. Cook, turning once, until vegetables are slightly charred and chicken is no longer pink in center, 6-10 minutes. Let cool a few minutes, then chop veggies and chicken into 1-inch pieces.
Cook pasta in boiling water until barely tender to bite, about 9-13 minutes. Drain.
In a large bowl, mix pasta with remaining 1/3 c. olive oil, parmesan cheese, half the chopped vegetables and chicken, and salt and pepper to taste. Top with remaining vegetables and chicken. Garnish with sliced basil. Serve warm or cold.
Speaking of the end of summer, my kiddos went back to school today, we moved the rest of our belongings to Utah from Seattle, and our house-hunt is finally over (woo hoo!), so let the crafting resume! I can't believe it's been almost a month since my last post! Sad, but I love that I can take a break when it's best for my family and come back to all your wonderful readers when it works for me. Anyway, look for a fun giveaway this week for these darling wood signs. I turned mine into chalkboards for photo props. LOVE!
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