Chicken with Pasta, Roasted Peppers, and Ricotta

I had mentioned it on Twitter…it appears that I am in a savory mode currently. Part of it was having a cold with a sprained foot (not wanting to bake much), and part was having a backlog of desserts we still had to eat. Hopefully I will feel more like eating and making desserts again, soon! (Probably right after I post this–ha!) In the meantime, you get another chicken post. Unlike the grilled chicken on Monday, this is a pasta dish I made up. We had some leftover ingredients to use, and I threw them together. So, don’t worry if you don’t have tomatoes or mushrooms, and want to make some substitutions. But, you should make sure to keep something sweet like the peppers and tomatoes. Sooooo good.

This is an anytime of year dish, but I do like it in summer with fresh peppers and tomatoes. Peppers have been my favorite vegetable this past summer. What about you?

Directions for Chicken with Pasta, Roasted Peppers, and Ricotta

• About 4-5 peppers (red, orange, or yellow)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
• Olive oil and butter
• Balsamic vinegar
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 pound pasta (I used elbows)
• 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1-2 pounds chicken (thighs or breasts) cut into bite-size pieces
• 2 teaspoons all-purpose seasoning, Italian seasoning, or your own mix
• 1/3 cup ricotta cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Slice the peppers into bite-sized strips. In a bowl, mix together the peppers, tomatoes, a bit of olive oil and vinegar to coat the pieces evenly, and a little salt and pepper. Spread on a foil-lined pan and roast for about 30-40 minutes until the peppers brown slightly. Set aside.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Set aside when ready. At the same time, you can also start cooking the mushrooms. In a heavy-bottomed skillet (medium or large), heat the mushrooms and a bit of butter over medium heat. Cook the mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until they are browned enough for your liking.

Set aside. Toss the chicken with the all-purpose seasoning, as well as some salt, pepper, and balsamic vinegar (just a bit). Add a little more butter to the pan, if necessary, then add the chicken. Brown the first side before flipping, then continue cooking until the chicken is ready. You might need to cook the chicken in batches to get good browning.

Remove the chicken from the pan. Then, add the pasta, stirring to pick up some of the browned bits in the pan. Add the ricotta cheese, continuing to stir until the pasta is coated.

Then, mix everything together in a bowl to serve: roasted vegetables, pasta with cheese, chicken, and mushrooms.

Directions for Chicken with Pasta, Roasted Peppers, and Ricotta (without pictures)

• About 4-5 peppers (red, orange, or yellow)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
• Olive oil and butter
• Balsamic vinegar
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 pound pasta (I used elbows)
• 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1-2 pounds chicken (thighs or breasts) cut into bite-size pieces
• 2 teaspoons all-purpose seasoning, Italian seasoning, or your own mix
• 1/3 cup ricotta cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Slice the peppers into bite-sized strips. In a bowl, mix together the peppers, tomatoes, a bit of olive oil and vinegar to coat the pieces evenly, and a little salt and pepper. Spread on a foil-lined pan and roast for about 30-40 minutes until the peppers brown slightly. Set aside.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Set aside when ready. At the same time, you can also start cooking the mushrooms. In a heavy-bottomed skillet (medium or large), heat the mushrooms and a bit of butter over medium heat. Cook the mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until they are browned enough for your liking. Set aside. Toss the chicken with the all-purpose seasoning, as well as some salt, pepper, and balsamic vinegar (just a bit). Add a little more butter to the pan, if necessary, then add the chicken. Brown the first side before flipping, then continue cooking until the chicken is ready. You might need to cook the chicken in batches to get good browning. Remove the chicken from the pan. Then, add the pasta, stirring to pick up some of the browned bits in the pan. Add the ricotta cheese, continuing to stir until the pasta is coated. Then, mix everything together in a bowl to serve: roasted vegetables, pasta with cheese, chicken, and mushrooms.