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The easy sauce for this dish highlights our rich basil pesto and smooth mascarpone cheese, all tossed with tender sautéed mushrooms and zucchini, which perfectly blend in with petite cavatelli pasta.
Get CookingFill a medium pot 3/4 of the way up with salted water; cover and heat to boiling on high. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Peel and roughly chop 2 cloves of garlic. Thinly slice the mushrooms. Quarter the zucchini lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise. Roughly chop the peppers.
In a medium pan, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the breadcrumbs and half the chopped garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly browned. Turn off the heat and stir in as much of the red pepper flakes as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. Transfer to a plate; immediately season with salt and pepper. Rinse and wipe out the pan.
Meanwhile, add the pasta to the pot of boiling water. Cook, stirring occasionally, 11 to 13 minutes, or until al dente (still slightly firm to the bite). Turn off the heat. Reserving ½ cup of the pasta cooking water, drain thoroughly and return to the pot.
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper on both sides. In the same pan, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned chicken. Cook 6 to 7 minutes per side, or until browned and cooked through.* Turn off the heat. Transfer to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, slice crosswise. Wipe out the pan.
*An instant-read thermometer should register 165°F.
Meanwhile, in the same pan, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the sliced mushrooms in an even layer. Cook, without stirring, 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly browned. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes, or until browned. Add the sliced zucchini and remaining chopped garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 4 to 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Turn off the heat. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired.
To the pot of cooked pasta, add the cooked vegetables and chopped peppers. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes, or until the pasta is coated (if necessary, gradually add the pasta cooking water to ensure the pasta is thoroughly coated). Turn off the heat. Add the mascarpone and pesto; stir to combine. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve the finished pasta topped with the sliced chicken. Garnish with the spicy breadcrumbs. Enjoy!
Tips from Home Chefs