Lemon-Basil Angel Hair, with Chicken

My bloggy friend, Amanda, posted this recipe to her blog. As soon as I read it, I knew I’d be making it for dinner that evening. Especially since I had everything needed to make it.  If you want to see a picture of the dish, click on the link to Amanda’s post. She’s good at photographing dinner.  Me? Notsomuch. 

Carapelli recently sent me a bottle of their organic EVOO to try. I promise that took no arm-twisting as we love olive oil.  My favorite thing about Italian restaurants? Olive-oil-as-butter on that yummy, crusty bread!

Since I was cooking dinner for six people, I added the chicken as Amanda suggested.  I also doubled everything.  It was so good!! The only thing my husband said was that he wanted more of the “sauce”.  Making this with fresh basil…oh, yum.  And with the organic Carapelli’s?  Heavenly!  We’ll definitely be having this over and over through the summer – probably with grilled chicken as it get hotter around here and we don’t want to heat up the house by turning on the oven. 

Lemon-Basil Angel Hair – from Amanda at My Heart’s Desire

8 oz. cooked angel hair pasta
2 T. olive oil
1 T. fresh lemon juice
1 T. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 T. fresh basil, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste

Cooked chicken breasts (optional)...a great, versatile way to prepare chicken to top salad or pasta is to cut the chicken breasts longways in half.  Coat with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.  Bake on a broiler pan lined at the bottom with foil for about 30 minutes.  {my BFF also suggested zesting the lemon with the chicken}

**Using fresh ingredients truly makes this dish splendid!  Now is the perfect time to plant a basil plant!  It will explode with leaves, giving you fresh basil all summer long!

Cook the pasta according to the package directions.  In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, parmesan cheese, basil, and salt and pepper.  Drain the pasta and transfer to a large bowl.  Pour the olive oil mixture over the pasta and toss with tongs to combine.  

Garnish with whole basil leaves, if desired.

For a full dinner, add cooked chicken breasts to the top of the pasta.

**Disclosure:  Carapelli’s sent a bottle of organic Extra-Virgin Olive Oil for our family to try.  I was not paid for this post and the opinion expressed is my own. If I’d hated it, I’d have told you.  Seriously, though, who hates olive oil?