cavatappi caprese with chicken

An incredible dish that is bursting with flavor thanks to fresh basil, tomatoes, and garlic. You can leave the chicken off and just use as a pasta entree or side dish and it can be served hot, warm, or cold. A relatively easy, versatile recipe that you’ll make over and over.

Ingredients:
1 large boneless, skineless chicken breast

Lemon pepper, garlic powder, garlic salt, and paprika seasoning

High temp oil for frying (like avocado or grapeseed)

Olive oil

5 cloves garlic, smashed

Salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, red pepper

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 lb cavatappi pasta

1 cup reserved pasta water

1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup fresh basil, packed, cut into ribbons

1/2 lb fresh mozzarella, small cubed

Locatelli pecorino romano cheese and basil ribbons for garnish

Instructions:

Prepare chicken according to @sammypur Juicy Chicken 101 recipe, using ingredients in italics above.

Smash five cloves of garlic and sautee in about 1/3 cup olive oil until lightly brown.

Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, and a sprinkling of red pepper if you like a little heat. (I don’t have measurements for these but I’d say less on the salt and pepper, more on the powders and parsley. Let the Italian Gods speak to you…)

Add one tablespoon of butter, allow to melt, stir and then, remove from heat.

Bring a large pot of water to boil, add pasta, cook according to “al dente” instructions, and reserve 1 cup of pasta water towards the end of cooking.

Drain pasta, drizzle with olive oil, and shake in strainer to prevent sticking.

Use the same pot and heat two tablespoons of olive oil, add halved grape tomatoes, season with salt and pepper and cook until tender, about 2-3 minutes.

Add basil ribbons and cook for one minute longer.

Add pasta back to the pot, top with the garlic mixture, and add 1/2 cup of pasta water.

Mix all together - if it looks a bit dry, add more pasta water. It should be glistening - not soaked.

Add mozzarella cubes and stir for a minute or two until they begin to melt. They will likely form larger clumps - which are DELICIOUS later on. It won’t result in an even distribution of melted cheese throughout the entire dish.

Plate pasta, top with locatelli pecorino romano cheese and a basil ribbon garnish.

Add a few slices of Juicy Chicken 101 if desired, to the top.

Mangia!