Pasta with Chicken, Balsamic, and Arugula
A complete meal pasta made in about 30 minutes start to finish. I use gluten-free spaghetti, you can use whatever pasta you prefer!
Servings 4 servings
Ingredients
Tips: this recipe has a few things going on at the same time. Have all ingredients out on the counter before starting. Then just follow the directions!
- 1 small yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- 1-2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, separated
- 2 medium sized chicken breasts, cut in half (see photos)
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 16 ounces spaghetti
- ⅓ cup chopped raw walnuts
- 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 cups baby arugula (baby spinach and baby kale work too)
- ¼ cup pomegranate seeds
Instructions
- Place a large pot filled with salted water on high heat, cover and bring to a boil (cook pasta to package instructions and save a 1/4 cup of pasta water before straining)
While waiting for water to boil prep everything else:
- Peel and slice onion, chop parsley, grate cheese, chop garlic , chop walnuts and set aside
- When water is almost boiling, place a large pan on high heat, add olive oil (pan needs to be large enough to accommodate all the cooked pasta)
- When oil is hot add onions. Turn heat to medium heat, and stir occasionally for about 6 minutes (the key to caramelized onions is patience, keep the heat at medium and resist the temptation to cook them faster)
While onions cook, prep chicken:
- Cut the chicken breasts in half so they remain the same length but are half as thick as they used to be (see photos)
- Salt and pepper both sides of chicken breasts
- When onions have been in the pan for about 6 minutes, move them to the sides of pan, add a little more olive oil if necessary and add breasts to pan, cook first side 6 minutes, still frequently stirring onions, then turn chicken and cook six more minutes (do not overcook, there is nothing worse than dry chicken!)
- While second side of chicken cooks, add pasta to boiling water, stirring pasta frequently to prevent sticking
- When chicken has cooked for 6 minutes on the second side, check to make sure it is cooked through and remove from pan and allow to 'rest' on a plate (do not turn off heat) . To same pan add nuts, garlic, red pepper flakes, balsamic vinegar and 1/4 cup of pasta water, simmer and stir for one minute scraping any chicken bits from pan
- Add two large handfuls of baby arugula (about 3 cups) to pan and stir for a minute or two
- Strain pasta (do not rinse) and place in pan, add 1-2 tablespoons olive oil, toss with herbs, nuts and arugula. Season with sea salt and pepper, toss again
- To plate: divide pasta onto four plates. Slice chicken breasts on the diagonal and place on top of pasta
- Sprinkle with parsley, parmesan and pomegranate seeds.. Serve.