balsamic chicken garden medley
My husband and I created this after developing a love affair with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. After tinkering around with several variations, this is the finished product. Everyone who has tried it says it's one of the tastiest chicken dishes they have eaten. It makes a beautiful presentation. I've been proud to serve it for special occasions. It's such a big recipe that most will cut it in half. The roasted chicken and veggies are good enough to be a meal themselves without the pasta and sauce. If you don't want to go the extra mile on the marinara sauce, a good-quality jar sauce is fine.
Blue Ribbon Recipe
This balsamic chicken garden medley captures summer's flavors and colors. The flavorful balsamic marinade is delicious on both the chicken and the vegetables. Roasting everything awakens the flavors in this meal. The medley of zucchini, yellow squash, onions, bell peppers, and mushrooms is delicious. When assembled, the meal consists of garlic-tossed pasta, a homemade marinara sauce, roasted vegetables, chicken, and sprinkled with fresh Parmesan. It's a dish you'd expect from a fine-dining restaurant. For testing, we halved the recipe, and the proportions were perfect. This meal can be halved for a smaller family dinner or made as-written and serve a crowd.
Ingredients
- 6-8 pounds boneless chicken breasts or thighs, or a combination of both
- MARINADE
- 1 cup olive oil
- 1/3 - 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 2 tablespoons Montreal chicken seasoning
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 3 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flake
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme, dried
- 1 teaspoon rosemary, crushed
- VEGETABLES
- 2 medium zucchini, sliced
- 1 medium yellow squash, sliced
- 5 large onions, sliced into rings
- 1 medium green bell pepper, cut into slices
- 1 medium yellow bell pepper, cut into slices
- 1 medium orange bell pepper, cut into slices
- 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into slices
- 2 pounds button mushrooms, sliced
- MARINARA SAUCE
- 2 cans crushed tomatoes (28 oz. each)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pint water
- 1/4 cup red wine
- 1 tablespoon leaf oregano, dried
- 1 tablespoon powdered oregano
- 1 teaspoon basil, dried
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme, dried
- 2 tablespoons dried parsley
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can tomato paste (12 oz)
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 - 3 - bay leaves
- - salt and pepper, to taste
- PASTA
- 2 pounds thin spaghetti or vermicelli
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- FINISHING TOUCH
- 6 - 8 ounces Parmigiano Reggiano
How To Make balsamic chicken garden medley
-
Step 1In a bowl, add the marinade ingredients. -
Step 2Place chicken pieces and vegetables in separate resealable bags (as many as it takes) Divide the marinade mixture evenly to ensure all will coat well. Marinate overnight or at the very least, several hours.
-
Step 3Start to make the marinara sauce. Combine the marinara sauce ingredients in a saucepan. Slowly simmer while the chicken and veggies are roasting. Add extra water if the sauce becomes too thick.
-
Step 4Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place the vegetables on one baking sheet. Place the chicken on a second baking sheet. Roast the chicken and vegetables separately.
-
Step 5The chicken will be finished in about 30 - 40 minutes. The veggies in about 50 - 60 minutes. The secret to this being so good is to leave it in the oven long enough for the chicken and vegetables to get blackened edges.
-
Step 6While chicken and veggies are roasting, cook the pasta.
-
Step 7Drain cooked pasta.
-
Step 8Toss the pasta and minced garlic with olive oil in a skillet. Saute for a couple of minutes.
-
Step 9Turn the vegetables as the edges blacken. You may have to pour off some of the liquids that will hasten the roasting process.
-
Step 10Remove the chicken from the oven as soon as the edges begin to blacken or it will dry out. Check to make sure the internal temp is 165 F.
-
Step 11When serving, slice the chicken into strips. I toss them with pan juices to keep them moist. Layer as follows on a platter or warmed individual plates: freshly cooked pasta, marinara sauce, roasted vegetables, and chicken slices. Top with plenty of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
- Last Step: Don't forget to share! Post a picture of your finished recipe here and on your favorite social network. Don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes!
