Classic Repeat : Balsamic Chicken Noodle Bowl

This is one of our all time favorite meals. I gave this recipe to my mom after trying it and loving it and now she can make a HUGE bowl of this stuff and my brothers will stack their plates like it is their last meal. One of the big things I did differently this time was I actually used shredded chicken (normally we just cut the chicken into cubes). Let me tell you, it made a big difference! The shredded chicken helps absorb more of the dressing so that you don't have an oily puddle in the bottom of your pan/bowl. It made the taste a bit lighter while still leaving it FULL of flavor! YUM! And I just love how quickly this comes together. I got home from work at 5:30 and we were done eating by 6:10!

This picture and recipe are courtesy of My Kitchen Cafe and can be found here.



BALSAMIC CHICKEN NOODLE BOWL
From My Kitchen Cafe

1 pound linguine

1 red pepper, cut into thin strips
4 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
5 garlic cloves, finely minced
½ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoons ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons dried basil (can substitute 1 cup fresh basil)
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1 1/2 cups shredded or cubed mozzarella cheese
½ cup feta cheese

Heat a large pot of water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook until just tender according to package directions. Drain.

In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, garlic, basil, salt and pepper. When combined, slowly whisk in the olive oil until the dressing is completely combined.

While the pasta is boiling, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat and add the bell pepper. Cook briefly until crisp-tender. Add the cooked chicken and cook for 1-2 more minutes, until the chicken is heated through.

When the noodles have been drained, add the hot noodles to the skillet with the red pepper and chicken and toss. Add the shredded or cubed mozzarella and toss quickly to combine before the cheese melts. Pour the dressing over the top and toss with tongs to coat all the ingredients with the dressing. Serve warm or at room temperature.