Bruschetta Chicken and Bacon Pasta

Ingredients

Chicken + Marinade:

• 2-3 chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup balsamic
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 Tb Dijon mustard
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp salt

Balsamic Glaze:

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 Tb cornstarch
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 Tb soy sauce

Pasta:

• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
• 8-10 oz mozzarella pearls, cut in half
• 8 slices bacon, cooked and cut into bite size pieces
• 1 pound pasta of choice (bowtie or penne)

Instructions

1. Mix ingredients for marinade in a bowl, then pour over chicken breasts in a shallow dish or gallon size ziploc bag. Let marinate in fridge for 6-12 hours.
2. Grill chicken until cooked through, approximately 4-5 minutes each side. Set aside to cool. Once cool, chop into bite size pieces.
3. Whisk together ingredients for balsamic glaze in saucepan, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 3-5 minutes, until mixture thickens. Set aside.
4. Cook pasta and rinse with cool water.
5. Add pasta, chicken, tomatoes, mozzarella, fresh basil, and bacon pieces to a large bowl. Drizzle balsamic glaze over the top and gently mix. Save some of the glaze for serving.

Attribution

Recipe adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe