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balsamic chicken garden medley

(12 ratings)
lisacrum avatar
Blue Ribbon Recipe by
Lisa Crum
@lisacrum
Delbarton, WV

My husband and I created this after developing a love affair with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. After tinkering around with several variations, this is the finished product. Everyone who has tried it says it's one of the tastiest chicken dishes they have eaten. It makes a beautiful presentation. I've been proud to serve it for special occasions. It's such a big recipe that most will cut it in half. The roasted chicken and veggies are good enough to be a meal themselves without the pasta and sauce. If you don't want to go the extra mile on the marinara sauce, a good-quality jar sauce is fine.

Blue Ribbon Recipe

This balsamic chicken garden medley captures summer's flavors and colors. The flavorful balsamic marinade is delicious on both the chicken and the vegetables. Roasting everything awakens the flavors in this meal. The medley of zucchini, yellow squash, onions, bell peppers, and mushrooms is delicious. When assembled, the meal consists of garlic-tossed pasta, a homemade marinara sauce, roasted vegetables, chicken, and sprinkled with fresh Parmesan. It's a dish you'd expect from a fine-dining restaurant. For testing, we halved the recipe, and the proportions were perfect. This meal can be halved for a smaller family dinner or made as-written and serve a crowd.

— The Test Kitchen @kitchencrew
(12 ratings)
yield 10 serving(s)
prep time 4 Hr 30 Min
cook time 5 Hr
method Bake

Ingredients For balsamic chicken garden medley

  • 6-8 lb
    boneless chicken breasts or thighs, or a combination of both
  • MARINADE
  • 1 c
    olive oil
  • 1/3 - 1/2 c
    balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp
    salt
  • 1 tsp
    black pepper, freshly ground
  • 2 Tbsp
    Montreal chicken seasoning
  • 2 Tbsp
    Italian seasoning
  • 3 - 4 clove
    garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbsp
    dried parsley
  • 1/2 tsp
    red pepper flake
  • 1/2 tsp
    thyme, dried
  • 1 tsp
    rosemary, crushed
  • VEGETABLES
  • 2 md
    zucchini, sliced
  • 1 md
    yellow squash, sliced
  • 5 lg
    onions, sliced into rings
  • 1 md
    green bell pepper, cut into slices
  • 1 md
    yellow bell pepper, cut into slices
  • 1 md
    orange bell pepper, cut into slices
  • 1 md
    red bell pepper, cut into slices
  • 2 lb
    button mushrooms, sliced
  • MARINARA SAUCE
  • 2 can
    crushed tomatoes (28 oz. each)
  • 3 Tbsp
    olive oil
  • 1 pt
    water
  • 1/4 c
    red wine
  • 1 Tbsp
    leaf oregano, dried
  • 1 Tbsp
    powdered oregano
  • 1 tsp
    basil, dried
  • 1/2 tsp
    thyme, dried
  • 2 Tbsp
    dried parsley
  • 2 clove
    garlic, minced
  • 1 can
    tomato paste (12 oz)
  • 1/2 tsp
    red pepper flakes
  • 2 - 3
    bay leaves
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • PASTA
  • 2 lb
    thin spaghetti or vermicelli
  • 2-3 Tbsp
    olive oil
  • 1 clove
    garlic, minced
  • FINISHING TOUCH
  • 6 - 8 oz
    Parmigiano Reggiano

How To Make balsamic chicken garden medley

  • Marinade ingredients in a bowl.
    1
    In a bowl, add the marinade ingredients.
  • Vegetables and chicken marinating in separate plastic bags.
    2
    Place chicken pieces and vegetables in separate resealable bags (as many as it takes) Divide the marinade mixture evenly to ensure all will coat well. Marinate overnight or at the very least, several hours.
  • Marinara sauce ingredients in a pan.
    3
    Start to make the marinara sauce. Combine the marinara sauce ingredients in a saucepan. Slowly simmer while the chicken and veggies are roasting. Add extra water if the sauce becomes too thick.
  • Marinated vegetables on a baking sheet in the oven.
    4
    Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place the vegetables on one baking sheet. Place the chicken on a second baking sheet. Roast the chicken and vegetables separately.
  • Marinated chicken on a baking sheet in the oven.
    5
    The chicken will be finished in about 30 - 40 minutes. The veggies in about 50 - 60 minutes. The secret to this being so good is to leave it in the oven long enough for the chicken and vegetables to get blackened edges.
  • Cook the pasta.
    6
    While chicken and veggies are roasting, cook the pasta.
  • Drain the pasta.
    7
    Drain cooked pasta.
  • Toss pasta in garlic and olive oil.
    8
    Toss the pasta and minced garlic with olive oil in a skillet. Saute for a couple of minutes.
  • Turn the vegetables and drain any excess liquid.
    9
    Turn the vegetables as the edges blacken. You may have to pour off some of the liquids that will hasten the roasting process.
  • Turn the chicken.
    10
    Remove the chicken from the oven as soon as the edges begin to blacken or it will dry out. Check to make sure the internal temp is 165 F.
  • To serve, layer the plate with pasta, marinara sauce, vegetables, sliced chicken, and Parmesan cheese.
    11
    When serving, slice the chicken into strips. I toss them with pan juices to keep them moist. Layer as follows on a platter or warmed individual plates: freshly cooked pasta, marinara sauce, roasted vegetables, and chicken slices. Top with plenty of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
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