This fresh and vibrant Bruschetta Chicken Pasta with Goat Cheese is for all the bruschetta lovers out there! It’s quick and easy, making it ideal for busy weeknights, with a juuuuust creamy enough sauce to not weigh you down on hot summer days. Trust us, you’ll want to make a fresh batch of Tomato Bruschetta to really bring this pasta recipe together.
If you want, add pan seared or grilled chicken (really just depends on whether you want to continue cooking inside or outside), or leave it out entirely — this makes a fantastic vegetarian entrée!
We recommend serving this bruschetta pasta chicken with an easy, not-at-all-fussy side salad (this Arugula Salad is our go-to, but our Spinach Salad with strawberries would pair so well with these flavors!) and a crusty baguette. You can’t beat the simplicity — or the taste!
If you love this recipe, be sure to try our Chicken Pesto Pasta next or browse all of our favorite pasta recipes!
Ingredients Needed
First, you’ll want to make a batch of our homemade Italian Bruschetta — it’s so light and fresh! The tomato mixture is made with fresh Roma tomatoes, high quality extra virgin olive oil, a couple cloves garlic, flaky sea salt, and fresh basil.
Other ingredients:
- Extra virgin olive oil: A neutral oil is fine for sautéing the chicken, but we recommend finishing all pastas with a drizzle of high quality evoo.
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or boneless skinless chicken breasts). You can also omit to make this pasta recipe vegetarian.
- Dried oregano, Kosher salt, and black pepper: To season the chicken.
- Spaghetti, buccatini, or other long, thin pasta.
- Goat cheese and mascarpone cheese: Which add a creamy texture to the bruschetta pasta!
- Aged balsamic vinegar: The thicker, the better! Not only is this a sweet contrast to the tangy goat cheese, but it balances out the other flavors in the dish. Balsamic glaze is another great option.
- Fresh basil, and lots of it!
We grabbed all our ingredients from the new Kings Food Markets app, either for pick up or delivery, then run to the kitchen to make this asap! Well Seasoned readers can save $30 off your 1st DriveUp & Go order (over $75) with promo code KBSAVE30 – or save $20 off your first Delivery order (over $75) with code KBSAVE20 — yes, please!
How To Make Bruschetta Chicken Pasta
- First, make our easy Bruschetta recipe.
- Next, bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil, season generously with a couple tablespoons of Kosher salt, then cook pasta until al dente. Before draining the pasta, reserve at least 1 cup of cooking water to help make the sauce later!
- Dredge chicken to season — we’re using Kosher salt, black pepper, and dried oregano.
- Sauté the chicken (or grill it, if you have time!), then add drained pasta, goat cheese and mascarpone cheese, just about all of the tomato bruschetta mixture, about ½ cup of the reserved pasta water, and lots of fresh basil.
- Give the bruschetta pasta a really good toss, then taste, adjust seasoning, and add additional water as needed to create more of a sauce.
- Serve with lots of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, a little of the reserved tomato bruschetta, and more basil. Pour a bit of aged balsamic vinegar or balsamic glaze on top. As always with pasta, we recommend a drizzle of a high quality extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of flaky sea salt.
Buon appetito!
To the same pan, add cooked spaghetti, goat cheese, mascarpone cheese, reserved pasta cooking water, and fresh Italian Bruschetta.
Expert Tips
- Use fresh basil! There’s a time and a place for dried herbs, but this bruschetta pasta recipe isn’t one of them. You really need the vibrancy from fresh basil for this to taste light and fresh!
- Want to add a little heat? A ¼ teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes would make an amazing addition.
- For crispier pan seared chicken, dredge the cubed chicken in seasoned flour before sautéing.
- Meal prepping on the weekend? We love to make grilled chicken breasts, then add them to dishes all week long. They’d be fantastic here!
- To make gluten-free, consider serving this over zoodles (zucchini noodles) instead of gf pasta. Zoodles are our summer obsession!
Honestly, feel free to play around with add-ins for this one! From sun-dried tomatoes to salty, briny capers or crunchy pine nuts… we can think of 100 different ways to customize this based on what you’re craving!
FAQs
Absolutely! Simply omit the chicken altogether or replace with tofu, if wanted.
Yes, you can use frozen chicken for this recipe. Just be sure to thaw it completely before cooking.
Yes, you can use any type of pasta you like for this recipe. I like to use spaghetti noodles because they’re long and thin, which helps them to soak up the sauce. However, you could also use penne, rotini, or any other type of pasta you like.
Certainly! Use what you prefer. Our homemade bruschetta takes just 15 minutes to make, however, so we recommend that if you have the time,
How To Serve
Chicken bruschetta pasta is a complete meal on its own, but you can also serve it with a side salad, roasted vegetables, some crusty bread, or garlic bread. A few of our favorite simple salads include this Arugula Salad, a light Lemon Kale Caesar Salad, or consider trying our House Salad with whatever fresh fruit is in season!
For a quick and easy vegetable side dish, try our Grilled Asparagus In Foil!
Leftovers, Storage, & Reheating
- Storing leftovers: Leftover pasta can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Note that the tomatoes will lose their shape a little after the first day, so it’s best to enjoy this recipe fresh.
- Reheating: The best way to reheat pasta is in a skillet over medium heat. Add a little bit of olive oil or butter to the skillet and cook the pasta until warmed through. You can also reheat pasta in the microwave, but be careful not to overcook it, or it will become mushy.
- We do not recommend freezing, as the fresh tomatoes really don’t hold up well once frozen.
If you make this Bruschetta Chicken pasta recipe, please let us know by leaving a review and rating below!
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Bruschetta Chicken Pasta with Goat Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 recipe Bruschetta or store-bought Bruschetta
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lb chicken thighs or chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, cut into ½-inch pieces
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp Kosher salt plus 2-3 Tbsp more for seasoning pasta water
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper plus more for serving
- 1 lb spaghetti or other long thing pasta
- 2 oz goat cheese room temperature
- ¼ cup mascarpone cheese
- 2 Tbsp aged balsamic vinegar
- ⅓ cup fresh basil leaves thinly sliced, plus more for serving
- Parmigiano Reggiano freshly grated, for serving
Instructions
- Make the bruschetta. If you haven't already, make Bruschetta.
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil, then season generously with 2-3 Tbsp Kosher salt. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve about ½-1 cup of pasta cooking water.
- Cook the chicken. Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add cubed chicken thighs, then season with 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp Kosher salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fully cooked through and the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165F, about 7-10 minutes.
- Finish the pasta. Add the drained pasta to the skillet, then stir in 2 oz goat cheese, ¼ cup mascarpone cheese and ¼-½ cup of reserved pasta water. Toss well. Add all except for ½ cup of the tomato bruschetta and ⅓ cup julienned basil leaves, then give the pasta a final stir. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed, adding additional pasta water to make a thinner sauce, if desired.
- Garnish, then serve. Transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl, then top with remaining ½ cup of bruschetta. Drizzle with 2 Tbsp aged balsamic vinegar, then garnish with additional fresh basil and grated Parmesan. Serve immediately!
Notes
- Storing leftovers: Keep in an airtight container in a refrigerator for up to 3 days. Note that the tomatoes will lose their shape a little after the first day, so it’s best to enjoy this recipe fresh.
- Reheating: The best way to reheat pasta is in a skillet over medium heat. Add a little bit of olive oil or butter to the skillet and cook the pasta until warmed through. You can also reheat pasta in the microwave, but be careful not to overcook it, or it will become mushy.
- We do not recommend freezing, as the fresh tomatoes really don’t hold up well once frozen.
So perfect!
Definitely a great pasta, so glad you enjoyed! xo, Ari