Why You’ll Love This this Grilled Mediterranean Chicken Angelina
This one-pot wonder combines tender grilled chicken with pasta that cooks right in a sun-dried tomato pesto sauce, which means fewer dishes to wash and more time to actually enjoy your dinner.
The arugula gets stirred in at the very end so it wilts just enough to add that peppery bite without turning into sad, soggy greens.
Plus, you get to feel fancy serving something called “Chicken Angelina” even though it’s totally doable on a weeknight when you’re wondering if cereal counts as dinner.
Ingredients List
Here’s everything you need to create this Mediterranean-inspired one-pot masterpiece that’ll make you feel like a kitchen wizard.
- 8 ounces multi-grain thin spaghetti
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1/3 cup sun-dried tomato pesto
- 1 tablespoon capers
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 boneless chicken breasts
- 3 ounces fresh arugula
A few things to keep in mind about these ingredients:
- Multi-grain pasta brings extra fiber and nutrients compared to regular white pasta, so you’re basically eating health food disguised as comfort food
- Sun-dried tomato pesto packs way more flavor punch than regular tomato sauce, plus you get those concentrated tomato antioxidants
- Arugula is a nutritional powerhouse – it’s loaded with vitamins K, A, and C, and that peppery bite means you’re getting serious flavor without any extra calories
- The butter situation is real but minimal, and honestly, two tablespoons split between four servings isn’t going to derail anyone’s dinner plans
- Capers add that briny pop of flavor without adding much of anything else, which is basically the condiment equivalent of getting something for nothing
Step by Step Directions
This Mediterranean chicken and pasta dish comes together in about 15 minutes using a clever one-pot method that cooks everything simultaneously.
- Prep the pasta base – Break 8 ounces multi-grain thin spaghetti in half while placing in a large saucepan, then stir in 2 1/2 cups water, 1/3 cup sun-dried tomato pesto, 1 tablespoon capers, and 2 tablespoons butter.
- Start both cooking processes – Cover the saucepan and bring to boil on medium-high heat, stirring often, while simultaneously preheating your grill and placing 4 boneless chicken breasts on it.
- Grill the chicken – Close the grill lid and cook for 6-7 minutes, turning occasionally, until internal temperature reaches 170°F.
- Simmer the pasta – Once the pasta mixture boils, reduce heat to medium and simmer 6-9 minutes, stirring often, until most liquid is absorbed.
- Add the greens – Stir 3 ounces fresh arugula into the pasta and cook 1-2 more minutes, stirring often, until leaves are wilted.
- Slice and serve – Thinly slice the grilled chicken and arrange over the finished pasta.
For an elevated smoky flavor that truly brings out the Mediterranean herbs and spices, consider using a premium BBQ smoker instead of a traditional grill.
Substitutions and Variations
- Make it heartier – Add some cannellini beans or chickpeas to the pasta mixture, which turns this from a light dinner into something that’ll actually fill up hungry teenagers.
- Spice things up – A pinch of red pepper flakes in the pasta water or some fresh oregano sprinkled on top can wake up those Mediterranean flavors without going overboard.
Additional Things to Serve With This Dish
This Mediterranean chicken practically begs for a few simple sides that won’t compete with all those bold flavors.
- Crusty bread – Because someone needs to soak up that incredible sun-dried tomato sauce, and honestly, it’s almost criminal to let any of it go to waste on the bottom of your bowl.
- Simple green salad – Just mixed greens with a light vinaigrette, maybe some cucumber slices, nothing fancy since you’ve already got the arugula doing the heavy lifting in the pasta.
- Roasted vegetables – Zucchini, bell peppers, or eggplant work beautifully here, and you can toss them on the grill right alongside the chicken if you’re feeling efficient.
- Greek-style yogurt with herbs – Mix some plain yogurt with chopped dill, garlic, and a squeeze of lemon for a cooling contrast that’ll make your taste buds do a little happy dance.
- Grilled pita or flatbread – Perfect for those moments when you realize you need something to bridge the gap between bites, plus it gives your hands something to do while you’re savoring each forkful.
Cooking Tips & Tricks (Chef’s Notes)
A few little secrets can turn this already amazing dish into something that’ll have people asking for your recipe.
- Don’t skip breaking the pasta in half – I know it feels wrong, like you’re committing some kind of Italian food crime, but trust me on this one, it makes the whole one-pot situation so much easier to manage.
- Let that pasta water get properly absorbed – You want it creamy, not soupy, so resist the urge to rush this part even when you’re starving and the chicken smells incredible.
- Check your chicken temperature in the thickest part – 170°F might seem high, but that’s what keeps everyone safe, and nobody wants to ruin a perfect dinner with food poisoning drama.
- Add the arugula at the very end – It literally takes one minute to wilt, and if you put it in too early, you’ll end up with sad, mushy greens instead of that perfect peppery bite.
- Slice the chicken against the grain – This makes it so much more tender, and thin slices look way more elegant scattered over the pasta than chunky pieces.
- Taste before serving – Sometimes the sun-dried tomato pesto needs a pinch of salt or a squeeze of lemon to really make those flavors pop, and every jar is a little different.
Nutritional Facts
This Mediterranean-inspired dish delivers a satisfying balance of protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats that’ll fuel your day without weighing you down.
- Calories per serving: Approximately 485 calories (based on 4 servings)
- Protein powerhouse: Each serving packs about 35g of lean protein from the chicken breast, perfect for muscle maintenance and keeping you full.
- Complex carbohydrates: The multi-grain spaghetti provides around 45g of carbs with added fiber and nutrients compared to regular pasta.
- Heart-healthy fats: Sun-dried tomato pesto and butter contribute about 12g of fat, including some beneficial unsaturated fats.
- Fiber boost: Expect roughly 4g of fiber per serving from the multi-grain pasta and arugula.
- Vitamin K superstar: Fresh arugula delivers a significant dose of vitamin K, essential for bone health.
- Antioxidant rich: Sun-dried tomatoes provide lycopene and other antioxidants that support overall health.
- Low sodium option: At approximately 380mg sodium per serving, it’s relatively moderate compared to many restaurant dishes.
- Iron content: The combination of pasta, arugula, and chicken provides about 15% of your daily iron needs.
- B-vitamins: Chicken and fortified pasta contribute essential B-vitamins for energy metabolism.
Fun “Did You Know?”
While you’re savoring every bite of this Chicken Angelina, you’re actually enjoying a dish that bridges ancient culinary traditions with modern convenience.
Sun-dried tomatoes were originally preserved by Romans who needed to store summer harvests without refrigeration.
Capers, those tiny flavor bursts in your pasta, are actually flower buds that grow wild on Mediterranean cliffs.
Arugula was considered an aphrodisiac by ancient Romans, who called it “eruca.”
The cooking method I’ve shared—boiling pasta directly in flavored liquid—mirrors ancient one-pot cooking techniques that concentrated flavors while conserving fuel and water.
