Yesterday I took a day off… the kind where you don’t really do anything except exist on the couch, recharge a bit, and let the world slow down for a minute. No big plans, no complicated recipes.
And then my wife went into the kitchen and threw this together.
Nothing fancy. Just pasta, peppers, onion, tomatoes, garlic… the usual things sitting around that don’t always feel exciting on their own.
It tasted like something fresh. Like summer trying to show up early. Like eating a little garden.
The pasta was light but still comforting, the peppers added that soft sweetness, and the garlic tied everything together in the best way. And the grilled chicken on the side? Perfectly seasoned, juicy, and exactly what it needed to make it feel like a full, satisfying meal.
Simple Garden Pasta with Garlic Herb Chicken
Description
A quick, fresh pasta made with garlic, tomatoes, onion, and sweet yellow peppers, topped with herbs and cheese and served with juicy garlic herb grilled chicken.
Ingredients
Pasta
Chicken
Instructions
Cook the pasta
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Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente (tender but still slightly firm), according to package directions.
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Reserve ¼ cup pasta water, then drain.
Cook the chicken
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Season chicken with olive oil, garlic, oregano, parsley, salt, and pepper.
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Cook in a pan or grill over medium heat for 5–6 minutes per side until cooked through.
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Rest and slice.
Build the sauce
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In a large pan, heat olive oil over medium heat.
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Add onion and cook for 3–4 minutes until softened.
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Add garlic and yellow pepper, cook another 2–3 minutes.
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Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, and oregano.
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Cook for about 5 minutes until everything softens into a light sauce.
Combine
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Add the cooked pasta to the pan.
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Toss everything together, adding a splash of reserved pasta water if needed.
Finish
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Remove from heat and stir in fresh herbs.
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Top with parmesan cheese.
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Serve with sliced garlic herb chicken on the side or on top.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 2
Serving Size 1
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 610kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 24g37%
- Saturated Fat 6g30%
- Cholesterol 110mg37%
- Sodium 420mg18%
- Potassium 720mg21%
- Total Carbohydrate 54g18%
- Dietary Fiber 5g20%
- Sugars 7g
- Protein 41g82%
- Calcium 180 mg
- Iron 3 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
- A squeeze of lemon at the end brightens everything up
- Add spinach at the end for extra greens
- Use any pasta you have on hand. We used gluten-free brown rice pasta
- She made the chicken in our Ninja Foodi Grill and it gave it that perfect slightly grilled, juicy finish. You can easily cook it in a pan or oven too.
Nutritional information is estimated based on average ingredient values and may vary depending on exact products, brands, and portion sizes used. This information should be used as a general guideline only.
