Chicken Caprese Pasta

This Chicken Caprese Pasta is filled with fresh basil, grilled chicken, tomatoes, and Mozzarella Sticks, kicking the classic caprese salad recipe up a notch. The texture and flavor of the Mozzarella Sticks pairs perfectly with the pasta and chicken, the fresh basil and tomatoes bring the whole dish together, making a simple dinner recipe that is full of flavor!

This post is sponsored by Farm Rich. Thank you for supporting the brands that make A Latte Food possible!

I like to consider myself a fairly low-maintenance, flexible, go-with-the-flow kind of person (if you know me on a deep, personal level, and don’t agree, let me revel in my ignorance 😉 ).

However, there are a few things in life I’m extremely high maintenance about, and if I’m being honest, they are weirdly specific.

For instance, wet jeans. I can’t handle wet jeans. They get all heavy with the extra water weight and stick to your skin, and it is just so incredibly uncomfortable, I immediately become this irritable and irrational person. So, obviously, living in a highly snowy and/or rainy area is completely out of the question for me.

Another thing is my bed. While I do have this uncanny ability to fall asleep whenever or wherever (within reason, of course, but it’s almost an art form), my bed is my sanctuary.

It’s loaded with egg crates and memory foam mattress toppers (when I spent a summer working at a camp, I definitely brought an egg crate with me), and it has just the right amount of pillows that I’ve squished into the perfect position…

It’s practically a scene straight out of the Princess and the Pea.

Finally, Mozzarella Sticks. They need to be perfectly crisp on the outside with gooey, melty cheese inside. They need to have the proper ratio of breading to cheese, making them oh-so-flavorful and delish. When everything is as it should be, there is nothing more satisfying than the taste of Mozzarella Sticks.

Because warmed, crumb-coated mozzarella in the form of Mozzarella Sticks is > plain mozzarella.

Farm Rich makes the best Mozzarella Sticks, in my opinion, as they are crispy on the outside, gooey on the inside, and incredibly flavorful. They’re a fantastic source of both calcium and protein, making them a great addition to this dinner recipe. Despite the fact they might be one of a few ingredients in this easy Chicken Caprese Pasta, they are most definitely the star of the show.

Farm Rich is a company dedicated to creating amazing snacks, appetizers, and bakery foods filled with wholesome ingredients, and each Farm Rich product is carefully packaged and quick-frozen (so you can find these Farm Rich Mozzarella Sticks in the frozen food aisle), allowing for delicious food ready in just a few minutes.

One of the things I love most about Farm Rich is it’s a company that recognizes that busy parents and families are looking for delicious foods that come together in just a few minutes.

With all of the extracurriculars, activities, and other responsibilities many of us face on a regular basis, it can be difficult to not only find the time to make wholesome meals, but also difficult to find trusted, wholesome ingredients.

Farm Rich is a brand that celebrates kitchen creativity and innovation (doing it “your way”), offering feel-good foods that are easy, wholesome, and well-loved.

This Chicken Caprese Pasta is such a simple dinner recipe, and it comes together with just a few ingredients:

• Chicken (grilled with herbs and spices, and marinated in an herb vinaigrette)
• Pasta (I used bow-tie pasta)
• Tomatoes
• Fresh Basil
• Farm Rich Mozzarella Sticks (breaded and seasoned to perfection and filled with 100% real mozzarella cheese)

Once it’s all tossed together, you can either eat it as is, or you can drizzle it with a balsamic glaze (or balsamic dressing), a bit of olive oil, or even pesto (or a combo of all three!).

This dinner comes together in about 30 minutes, which is why it’s one of my favorite go-to dinner recipes. It’s fast, easy, and tastes great, which for me, is the trifecta of meals!

Who’s ready for dinner?? (When this Chicken Caprese Pasta is involved, I always am.)

5 from 3 votes

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Chicken Caprese Pasta

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

12 mins

Total Time

27 mins

 

This Chicken Caprese Pasta is filled with fresh basil, grilled chicken, tomatoes, and Mozzarella Sticks, kicking the classic caprese salad recipe up a notch. The texture and flavor of the Mozzarella Sticks pairs perfectly with the pasta and chicken, the fresh basil and tomatoes bring the whole dish together, making a simple dinner recipe that is full of flavor!

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Chicken Caprese Pasta

Servings: 4 -5 Servings

Author: Michelle

Ingredients

Caprese Pasta:

• 1 lb about 8oz Bow-Tie Pasta (aka Farfalle, but any kind of pasta will be fine)
• 8 Farm Rich Mozzarella Sticks
• 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved (I used a combo of red and yellow)
• 3-4 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
• 5-6 boneless chicken tenders, about 2 boneless chicken breasts
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup herb vinaigrette, I used store-bought
• 1 Tbsp dried Italian herbs
• salt and pepper to taste

Dressings (optional):

• Herb Vinaigrette
• Balsamic Glaze, or balsamic vinaigrette
• Olive oil
• Pesto

Instructions

1. In a plastic bag, marinate chicken and herb vinaigrette for 5-6 minutes.
2. While the chicken is marinating, cook pasta according to the directions on the back of the box.
3. Bake the Mozzarella Sticks according to the directions on the package (you can use an oven, conventional oven, or a deep fryer).
4. Heat oil in a skillet over med-low heat. Remove chicken from the marinade and place into the heated skillet. Sprinkle the Italian herbs over the chicken, and season with salt and pepper (this can vary according to taste, but I used about 1/2 tsp ground pepper and 1/4 tsp salt).
5. Cook each side for about 3-4 minutes, or until chicken is browned and entirely cooked through. Pull off the heat and allow to rest before slicing.
6. Once the Mozzarella Sticks are cooked, slice each one into 4 pieces.
7. Toss tomatoes, fresh basil, and mozzarella sticks with the pasta. Top with chicken and drizzle with the herb vinaigrette, balsamic glaze, olive oil, or pesto, if desired.
8. Serve immediately.
9. Enjoy!