Zucchini and Corn Pasta with Grilled Chicken

Shanna

A delicious and easy to make summertime creamy zucchini and corn pasta with grilled chicken and a tangy goat cheese sauce. The summer produce is highlighted in this pasta dish, and it is really good eaten hot or cold. Omit the chicken for a tasty vegetarian dish.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Servings 8 -10 Servings

Equipment

1 grill gas or grill pan
1 large pot for pasta
1 pasta strainer
1 Large pan

Ingredients

For the Chicken:
908-1362 g chicken thighs 2-3 lbs, boneless skinless (could also use breasts, I prefer thighs for flavor)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon each kosher salt, ground black pepper, garlic, onion to season or a 2-3 teaspoons of a garlic herb seasoning blend. ( I love Kinder's Garlic Herb)
For the Pasta:
100 g shallot diced (two large)
3 garlic cloves minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter unsalted
60 g wine ¼ cup
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes more if you want more spice
200 g Zucchini 2-3 depending on size
4 ears of fresh sweet corn 500 g kernels cut off the cobs
454 g Cavatapi pasta (1 pound - or other similarly shaped pasta)
500 ml reserved pasta water
300 g goat cheese
60 g freshly grated parmesan cheese plus more for garnish
1 bunch Fresh basil finely chopped

Instructions

Preheat your grill. Mix the chicken thighs with the olive oil and a teaspoon of each kosher salt, pepper, garlic and onion or a garlic herb seasoning blend. Grill the chicken at 400-425 degrees for about 15 minutes, turning every 5 minutes, or until just done. Let the chicken rest before dicing up to add into the pasta. When ready, cut into one inch (2.5cm) or bite sized pieces.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions for al dente pasta. You want the pasta to have a little bite to it, not too soft. Reserve 500 ml ( a little over 2 cups of the pasta water) and drain the pasta, set aside.
In a large pan set over medium heat, add the olive oil and butter. Once the butter is melted add the shallot and garlic clothes and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until softened.
Add in the wine and the lemon juice, the salt, ground black pepper, and red pepper flakes and stir until the wine has absorbed.
Next, add in the zucchini and cook for a few minutes until starting to soften, then add in the corn kernels.
Stir until the corn is starting to soften, and the zucchini is more cooked. Make a well in the center of the vegetables and crumble in all of the goat cheese. Add in half of the reserve pasta, water and stir until the goat cheese is completely melted into a sauce.
Add in the cooked diced chicken stir well then add in the cooked pasta, stirring well again if the sauce is still somewhat thick, add an a little more of the reserve pasta water until the sauce is a consistency you like. Once it is where you like, turn off the heat then add in the Parmesan cheese and stir well.
Serve with additional Parmesan grated over the top and some finely chopped fresh basil.

Notes

This makes excellent leftovers as there will be a lot since this recipe does make several servings keeping an airtight container in your refrigerator up to four days. You can also freeze it up to three months thought in your refrigerator before reheating to eat although it is very tasty when eaten cold as well.