Food and Recipes Pasta Chicken Caprese Pasta Recipe 5.0 (1) 1 Review This dish is a great way to use up a bumper crop of tomatoes and herbs. Tender fresh linguine works well with the pesto, but you can use dried pasta as well. A hot pasta dish does not always have to be loaded down with sausage, cheese, and a heavy sauce. Lighten it up and try this quick and easy Chicken Caprese Pasta, which is lightly flavored with a bright pesto made from fresh basil, parsley, and chives. When making any type of pasta dish, however, one simple trick will take the dish from good to great. The key to making great tasting pasta is in the cooking water. Add about 2 tablespoons of kosher salt to a large stockpot of boiling water. When the pasta is cooked, reserve a cup or two of cooking water (the exact amount is usually specified in the recipe) before draining the pasta. When combined with the other recipe ingredients, the salty, starchy liquid seasons your homemade sauce, gives it a silky texture and helps it cling to the noodles. Don't rinse the pasta or you will wash away more of the good starch. Follow recipe directions and add the pasta water a little at a time, stirring until the sauce is rich and smooth. By Southern Living Test Kitchen Southern Living Test Kitchen The Southern Living Test Kitchen has been publishing recipes since 1970, four years after the first issue of Southern Living Magazine appeared on newsstands. The Southern Living Test Kitchen team includes a team of professionals with deep expertise in recipe development, from pastry chefs and grilling experts to nutritionists and dietitians. Together, the team tests and retests, produces, styles, and photographs thousands of recipes each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen facility located in Birmingham, Alabama. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on June 21, 2017 Print Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Active Time: 15 mins Total Time: 20 mins Yield: 4 serves Ingredients 1 (9-oz.) pkg. fresh linguine 2 tablespoons kosher salt 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 pints cherry tomatoes 1 shallot, thinly sliced (about 1 oz.) 2 garlic cloves, minced 4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken Fresh herb pesto 1/4 cup small fresh basil leaves 4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, torn into 1/2-inch pieces Directions Cook pasta according to package directions in a large Dutch oven, adding salt once water comes to a boil. Drain pasta, reserving 1 1/2 cups cooking water. Wipe Dutch oven clean, and add olive oil. Heat oil over medium-high. Add tomatoes to hot oil, and cook, stirring often, until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add shallot, and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic; cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Add chicken, pasta, Fresh Herb Pesto, and 1/2 cup of reserved cooking water to tomato mixture, stirring to combine. Gradually stir in remaining cooking water, 1/4 cup at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Transfer to a serving platter, and sprinkle with basil and mozzarella. Serve immediately. Print