Grilled Italian Chicken and Pasta a simple & delicious summertime dinner. Using Italian dressing adds fantastic flavor to this BBQ chicken with vegetables, and it really pairs well with the pasta too!
A great way to make a quick dinner without heating up your house is grilling chicken breasts, enjoy a tasty meal with very little effort. With under 10 ingredients, this grilled chicken and vegetables is a delicious meal that will be ready in no time!
Tuscan Grilled Chicken Pasta
This grilled Italian chicken and vegetables is one of my go-to summer meals because it’s the perfect combination of simple and delicious. It is one of those meals that you can whip up even when it’s 5 pm, and you haven’t planned anything for dinner. Our entire family loves it and I think yours will too. There’s something about this pasta that will really have you feeling like you are sitting in a Tuscan villa somewhere. Maybe it’s the zesty dressing, maybe it’s the fresh cherry tomatoes, zucchini, and parmesan cheese. Whatever it is, it is incredibly delicious and satisfying!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s simple! This recipe is very simple and easy to follow along with, making it a quick and easy meal to whip up any night of the week.
- Minimal ingredients. You do not need much to make this recipe, but you will need a handful of items. Even with just a few basics, this recipe really packs in a lot of flavor.
- 30 minutes or less. With a little prep and a fast cook time, you can easily have this recipe completed in about 30 minutes or less. It usually takes me closer to 25 minutes. This is perfect for a faster paced night or one where you don’t want to be standing for too long.
Italian Chicken and Pasta Ingredients
Chicken– Use 2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts that have been pounded thin.
Italian dressing- You will need about ½ a bottle of zesty Italian dressing. You’re welcome to use any type of story-bought or even homemade salad dressing. I tend to use Kraft since it’s inexpensive and tastes great.
Grape tomatoes- For added fresh taste, throw in 1 cup of grape tomatoes.
Zucchini– Adding in 2-3 zucchini that have been cut into pieces will give us a fresher taste and more tasty variety. You can either cut zucchini into spears for easy grilling, or cut it into smaller pieces and use a grill basket like I did.
Pasta– I like to use half of a 12-ounce sized box of bow tie pasta for this recipe. Depending on your families needs, you can make more. Just be sure to double the rest of the recipe to accommodate the additional pasta.
Parmesan cheese- Use ½ cup of parmesan cheese for even more incredible flavor.
Salt and Pepper- This is added in “to taste,” meaning that you can add in more or less depending on what you prefer.
How to make Grilled Italian Chicken & Pasta
Marinate
Get started by patting your chicken dry with a paper towel. Then, using a meat tenderizer, pound the chicken into thin, even pieces.
Also, if you have the time, marinate the chicken in about ⅓ cup of Italian dressing for 3-4 hours. But, if you don’t have the time, combine the chicken and dressing and let it rest for 10-15 minutes.
Prep
Once you are ready to start cooking, get your grill heating up.
While that is preheating, heat up the water needed to boil your pasta in. Proceed to boil the pasta in salted water as directed on the package.
Get the zucchini prepped as well, slice it into spears or cubes depending on your preference.
Grill
Place the chicken and zucchini on the preheated grill and cook for 5-7 minutes on both sides.
Sprinkle the salt and pepper over the top of the chicken while cooking and brush the chicken and zucchini with Italian dressing as it is grilling.
Flip the chicken over and cook on the other side for 5-7 more minutes and brush with more Italian dressing.
Depending on the size of your chicken cuts and zucchini, the veggies might take a little longer to cook than the chicken. The chicken is finished when it reaches 165 degrees F on an instant read thermometer.
Combine
Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and transfer it to a serving bowl. Proceed to pour in 1/4 cup of Italian dressing and the grape tomatoes, toss well to combine. Then add in the grilled zucchini.
Just before serving, sprinkle some parmesan cheese over the top.
Serve together with the grilled chicken and enjoy!
GRILLED ITALIAN CHICKEN and PASTA
Ingredients
- 2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts pounded thin
- 1/2 bottle Zesty Italian salad dressing divided
- 1 cup grape tomatoes
- 2-3 zucchini cut into pieces
- 6 ounces Bow Tie pasta (half a 12oz box)
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- salt & pepper
Instructions
- If you have time, marinate the chicken in about 1/3 cup of Italian dressing for 3-4 hours. If not, just combine the 2 and let them sit for 10-15 minutes.
- Get grill warming up while you heat the water for the pasta. Boil pasta in salted water according to package instructions.
- Meanwhile, cook chicken on the grill alongside the zucchini. (You can either cut zucchini into spears for easy grilling, or cut it into smaller pieces and use a grill basket like I did. Depending on the size of your chicken cuts and zucchinis, the vegetables might take longer to cook than the chicken!) Chicken is done when it reached 165 degrees F. (I love my meat thermometer! No more dry chicken!) Sprinkle salt & pepper on the chicken. Brush both chicken and zucchini with more Italian dressing.
- Drain pasta and transfer to a serving bowl. Pour in 1/4 cup Italian dressing and the grape tomatoes. Toss to combine. Add grilled zucchini. Just before serving, sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top and serve alongside grilled chicken.
Nutrition
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What to serve with Italian chicken
This recipe contains the chicken and a side dish full of starches and veggies but if you still want more to serve alongside it, go for it! I enjoy serving it up with garlic bread for a fuller meal or if you want something simple maybe have chilled watermelon in the fridge, perfect for summer!
How long are leftovers good for?
You can keep the leftovers from the recipe in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 or 5 days. I recommend adding a little more dressing while reheating if you feel like the chicken or pasta is a tad too dry.
What is the best cooking thermometer to use?
It’s important to have a reliable, durable cooking thermometer on hand! My all-time favorite thermometer is the Thermapen. It’s super fast and incredibly durable. Another great cooking thermometer is the ThermoPop which is a more basic version that works just as well! I use a cooking thermometer to test a variety of foods for doneness- meats, breads, and even oil for frying. They’re a staple in my kitchen!
You’re going to love these other chicken recipes!
- CHEESY SOUR CREAM CHICKEN
- CHICKEN PINEAPPLE TACOS
- SOUTHWESTERN CHICKEN VERDE SOUP
- CROCKPOT HOT HONEY CHICKEN SANDWICHES
- CHEESY WILD RICE CASSEROLE
- CHEESY GRILLED PINEAPPLE CHICKEN
- TORTILLA SOUP WITH BLACK BEANS
- EASY SMOKED CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS
- CHICKEN AND STUFFING CASSEROLE
- MARINATED GRILLED CHICKEN THIGHS
- BEST COPYCAT CHICK-FIL-A NUGGETS
- CHICKEN ENCHILADA CASSEROLE
Grilled Italian Chicken and Pasta an easy & flavorful summertime dinner. Using Italian dressing adds zesty flavor to this BBQ chicken with veggies, and pairs well with the pasta too!
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