Roasted Balsamic Chicken Pasta Ready In 60 Minutes

Published 12/13/2019 • Updated 8/23/2022

Easy Weeknight Meals

I’ll say it a thousand times, I love easy weeknight meals! Not just because I have a job where I cook all day, but because it is nice to have a meal that is delicious and that doesn’t take up your whole night. This roasted balsamic chicken pasta is literally the perfect weeknight meal. It is balanced with protein, vegetables, and amazing flavor. There is nothing better than a pasta that has flavorful sauce that isn’t too heavy. Let’s break this recipe down a bit!

Chicken Thighs for the Win

Why use chicken thighs? Because they are juicy, flavorful, and the best part of a chicken (in my humble opinion). We use skin on chicken thighs and it is VERY important that you season the thighs before you sear them in the pot.

Let it All Simmer

After you remove the chicken from the dutch oven, it’s time to cook all of the vegetables in the delicious chicken juice and flavors! This is an important step because it helps build the flavor base for what will be the pasta sauce! You want the skin of the chicken to crisp up quickly so you don’t over cook the chicken during the bake time! Lastly, you will add all of the liquid for the pasta sauce to the pot and then drop the chicken thighs on top of all of the ingredients and bake it for 25-30 minutes. During the bake time the pasta sauce will cook down and the chicken thighs will tenderize to perfection!

Chicken Pasta 101

Can I use chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs?

We do not recommend using any other cut of chicken in this recipe. Chicken breasts tend to get a bit dry with the sear and the longer cook time in the oven! However, you can use bone-in chicken thighs or boneless chicken thighs for this chicken pasta!

Do I have to use asparagus and vegetables in this recipe?

You can use whatever vegetables you would like in this recipe except for root vegetables. Root vegetables would need a bit longer cook time for this recipe! Other vegetables you could use would be…

Bell peppersShallotEggplantGreen Beans

How would I make this a creamy pasta?

To make this a creamy pasta all you would have to do is add 2-3 tablespoons of heavy cream to the dutch oven after everything is done baking! It seriously takes this dish up a notch if you’re looking for something a little more rich!