chicken giardino

Recipe by
Vickie Parks
Renton, WA

This recipe takes time, but it's so worth it. It was a top-rated offering on the Olive Garden's menu, but it's no longer available in most areas. It's described as "grilled chicken and a medley of fresh vegetables tossed with ruffled pappardelle pasta in a light lemon herb sauce." I do offer some suggestions for pasta options, since pappardelle ricci (or pappardelle pasta with a ruffled edge) can be rather difficult to find in some areas. But if you are fortunate enough to find pappardelle ricci, do use it when preparing this recipe (as the pasta's ruffled edges help it to hold the sauce).

yield 4 (prep includes marinating time)
prep time 1 Hr 15 Min
cook time 25 Min
method Stove Top

Ingredients For chicken giardino

  • 1 lb
    pappardelle ricci pasta (ruffle-edged pappardelle) - substitutions are 1 lb of any ribbon-type pasta (such as tagliatelle or fettuccine)
  • CHICKEN
  • 2 lb
    boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced width-wise into 1/2-inch strips
  • 1/4 cup
    extra-virgin olive oil (i've used regular olive oil with good results)
  • 2 sprig
    fresh rosemary
  • 1 clove
    garlic, finely minced (i usually double the garlic as a personal choice)
  • 1/2 md
    lemon, juiced
  • SAUCE
  • 1 Tbsp
    unsalted butter
  • 1/4 tsp
    dry thyme
  • 1/2 tsp
    fresh rosemary, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp
    garlic pepper
  • 1 tsp
    cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup
    low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup
    water
  • 1/4 cup
    white wine
  • 1 Tbsp
    milk
  • 1 tsp
    lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp
    salt, or to taste
  • 1 tsp
    black pepper, or to taste
  • VEGETABLES
  • 1/2 cup
    olive oil
  • 1/2 bunch
    asparagus (remove bottom inch of stems, and cut remainder into 1-inch pieces)
  • 1 md
    zucchini, julienne cut
  • 1 md
    yellow squash, julienne cut
  • 2 lg
    roma tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 sm
    red bell pepper, julienne cut
  • 1 cup
    broccoli florets
  • 1/2 cup
    frozen green peas
  • 1 cup
    fresh spinach, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup
    carrots, julienne cut

How To Make chicken giardino

  • 1
    Cook pappardelle according to package directions. Drain cooked pasta and set aside.
  • 2
    While pasta is cooking, prepare chicken by tossing together the chicken, olive oil, rosemary, garlic and lemon juice in a large bowl. Marinate chicken for 30 minutes.
  • 3
    While chicken is marinating, prepare sauce by melting butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in thyme, garlic pepper, and rosemary. Whisk thoroughly while cooking for 1 minute.
  • 4
    In a mixing bowl, combine chicken broth, water, wine, milk and lemon juice. Add cornstarch, and whisk until cornstarch is dissolved and no lumps remain. Add the cornstarch mixture to the butter mixture. Whisk until well blended, and bring the mixture to a low boil. Season with salt and pepper. Remove sauce from heat and set it aside.
  • 5
    Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Heat olive oil in a large skillet placed over medium heat. Sauté chicken in skillet until internal temperature reaches 165°F. Add all vegetables to the skillet and sauté until vegetables are heated through. Add drained pasta and sauce to the skillet, and toss until pasta is coated with the sauce.
  • 6
    Transfer to serving platter, and garnish with chopped parsley. Serve immediately.
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