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Simple Summer Grilled Chicken Pasta
I’ve always been a fan of cooler weather. While my classmates celebrated the arrival of summer, I found myself dreaming of those crisp, hoodie-wearing days and the comforting flavors of fall food. That said, I can’t overlook one amazing highlight of summer: grilling season! The flavors of summer are bright and vibrant and when you can add anything grilled to your meal, it truly is a great way to taste summer.
This Simple Summer Grilled Chicken Pasta captures everything I love about summer! With juicy grilled chicken, a kick of sunshine with lemon and a hint of freshness from the herbs. Add some red pepper flakes, and you have a balanced summertime meal ready in 20 minutes.
I love recipes featuring shredded or diced chicken! It’s amazing how just three chicken breasts can easily feed four to five people. It’s a great way to save a little money while still getting some protein into your diet.
Equipment Needed
Grill – Can be an outside grill or an indoor grilling table. A grill pan is also an option for indoor grilling.
5-quart Saute Pan or other deeper skillet
Ingredients
3 chicken breasts
Salt and Cracked pepper
16 oz Rigatoni Pasta – I used Banza for the high protein and lower net carbs plus it’s gluten free, but you can use any pasta you like
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, minced – if you don’t love garlic as much as I do, reduce it to 2 cloves. Or if your garlic cloves are very large, use 2-3
1/4-1/2 tbsp red pepper flakes – use 1/4 if you prefer just a hint of spice, use more if you like a kick!
1 lemon, juiced
1 tbsp fresh oregano leaves, chopped
Salt and Pepper
Directions
- Preheat your grill to 400°F. While the grill is heating up, fill a pasta pot with water and LOTS of salt – it should be “as salty as the sea”. Place it on the stovetop over high heat to bring to a boil.
- Place your chicken breasts on a small baking pan. Drizzle the chicken breasts with extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with Herbs de Provence, salt and pepper on both sides. When the grill reaches temperature, place the chicken breasts on it and grill for 5-7 minutes on each side. Check the internal temperature of the thickest part of the chicken to ensure it reaches 165°F with a meat thermometer. Remove the chicken and set it aside to cool slightly, allowing it to reabsorb all the juices before cutting.
- Once your pasta water is boiling, add your pasta and cook according to the package directions, minus 1 minute of cook time, as the pasta will continue to cook in the sauce we make. Drain the noodles and set them aside while you prepare the sauce. Do not start the sauce until the pasta is done, as the sauce comes together very quickly. The garlic will burn if you start it too early.
- Now that the chicken is cooling and the pasta is drained, let’s make our sauce. Melt the butter in your saute pan, then add the olive oil. Butter provides a rich, creamy flavor, while olive oil helps prevent the butter from burning at higher temperatures due to its higher smoke point; not to mention, the combination tastes great!
- Once the butter is melted and olive oil is added to the saute pan, add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, or until the garlic is fragrant. Drop the heat to low and add your pasta directly to the pot. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Allow the flavors to blend while you dice your cooled grilled chicken into cubes – any size you like!
- Add the chicken to the pasta and give it a good stir to ensure the chicken is evenly distributed throughout the dish. You can squirt some fresh lemon juice over top and add an extra drizzle of olive oil to finish.
Serve with salad, Caprese salad or garlic bread.
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