Chicken Pasta Italiana
Submitted by WanaBeChef
Wine-poached chicken tossed with rigatoni, fresh basil, sweet red peppers, and olives in a bright garlic-lemon dressing. A chilled Italian pasta salad built for hot summer nights.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
40 minREADY
60 minThere’s something deeply satisfying about a pasta salad that actually has flavor.
This one starts by poaching chicken breasts in white wine with whole garlic cloves, building a savory broth that does double duty as your pasta cooking liquid.
Once everything cools, you toss tender chicken pieces and al dente rigatoni with a punchy garlic-lemon-basil mixture, julienned red peppers, and sliced ripe olives.
Served chilled on crisp lettuce, it’s the kind of dish you bring to a summer cookout and watch disappear in minutes.
Chef Tips
- Save that wine-poaching broth! Cook your rigatoni in it instead of plain water for an extra layer of savory depth.
- Slice the basil into thin ribbons (chiffonade) right before tossing so it stays bright green and fragrant.
- Let the dressed pasta chill for at least an hour, but overnight is even better since the garlic-lemon flavors really soak in.
- Use a dry, crisp white wine like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc for poaching. If you wouldn’t sip it, don’t cook with it.
Ingredients
Directions
Bring water to a boil in medium sauce pan.
Add wine, chicken and garlic.
Reduce heat and simmer 15 min. or until chicken is done.
Remove chicken and garlic from broth, reserving broth.
Let chicken cool. Cut chicken into ½ in. pieces. Set aside. Crush garlic in a small bowl, add basil, salt, pepper and lemon juice.
Mix well and set aside.
Bring reserved broth to a boil.
Add pasta. Cook 12 min. or until al dente.
Drain. Rinse under cold water. drain. Toss pasta with olive oil.
Combine reserved garlic-lemon mixture, chicken, pasta, bell peppers and olives in a large bowl.
Toss gently. Chill at least 1 hour. Spoon chicken mixture onto lettuce lined plates.
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