After all these years, I’ve finally gotten my husband to watch The Bachelorette with me (don’t tell him I told you, ok?).
I’m now 100% convinced that watching the show as a couple is the key to a successful marriage.
…oh, and coffee. Coffee is the other key to a successful marriage.
But, this show, you guys! It’s pure gold mindless entertainment. First, you laugh. A lot. Then you get invested. Then, you get mad. Why can’t any of these guys pronounce Uruguay correctly?
This dish is comprised of 3 different parts: the pasta, the bruschetta, and the chicken.
I used my favorite method of preparing chicken, a fool-proof process I learned from Gimme Some Oven, where the chicken breast is brined (a process where meat is submerged in warm salt water to prevent it from drying out when cooked) for 15 minutes, lightly brushed with butter, sprinkled with seasoning, and baked at a high temperature. The results are always consistent with tender and juicy chicken that compliments any dish. Trust me, once you try her method you won’t bake your chicken breasts any other way!
To make the bruschetta, I halved a pint of cherry tomatoes, diced fresh basil leaves, roasted garlic in olive oil, and tossed everything with balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper, to taste.
To bring the dish together, simply prepare pasta noodles and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper, add the chicken, and top with fresh bruschetta, and you’ve thrown together the ultimate comfort meal – a wonderful dish bursting with flavor with every bite.
So start boiling that water and halving those tomatoes, then pull up The Bachelorette and give me a call so I can come over with a fork!
- warm water
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 1 tbsp melted unsalted butter or olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 10 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
- 8 ounces spaghetti noodles
- extra virgin olive oil
- sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- To brine your chicken breasts, simply fill a large bowl with 1 quart of warm water and 1/4 cup kosher salt. Stir to combine until most of the salt is absorbed. Add the chicken breasts and let them sit in the mixture to brine for 15 minutes. Remove the chicken breasts from the brine, rinse them with cold water, then pat them dry with some paper towels.
- Heat oven to 450 degrees F.
- Place the chicken breasts in a single layer in a large baking dish. Brush on both sides (turning once) evenly with the melted butter or olive oil.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk the salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika until combined. Then sprinkle the mixture evenly over the chicken on both sides.
- Bake for 15-18* minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink. If you use a cooking thermometer to measure the temperature thickest part of the breast, it should be between 160-170 degrees F.
- In a small skillet, bring olive oil to medium heat. When hot, add the garlic and stir constantly until lightly browned (be careful to remove before burning). Set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, basil, balsamic vinegar, roasted garlic olive oil mixture, and salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings accordingly.
- Bring salted water to a boil and cook pasta noodles until al dente. Remove from heat and drain, then drizzle with olive oil (remember a little goes a long way), and toss with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
Looks delicious!
Thank you!! 🙂
Yum! Can’t wait to try this recipe!
Yay! Thanks, Annie! ❤️
Yumm looks great Jasmine! Coffee is key haha
Thank you, Lynn!!
Looks delish! I love brining chicken and pork chops – what a huge difference it makes. I’ll have to try out this baking method. The recipe looks lovely!
Thank you!! And I agree, brining makes all the difference in the world!
Well, I tried this last night (we brined and then put a lot of cajun spice on it, too) and it was juicy and tender and flavorful and just right! Thanks, sweetie!! 🙂 You can teach an old dog new tricks, lol!
I’m all about that cajun spice!! 😀 I’m so glad you tried it and liked it – thank you for letting me know!!
Oh my gosh.. This looks so good. It’s 11 pm and you make me want second dinner, haha. I’ll have to try this next week for the finale 🙂 I’ve never brined chicken breast before, but it sounds like an awesome idea!!
Thank you, Ruthie!! Second dinner is always a good idea! 🙂 I’m curious to see who the next Bachelor will be!
YESSSSS Bach is the KEY to a happy marriage. The dudes secretly love it & look forward to it just like we do! P.S. You have the best food photos on the internet, I’m convinced!
The guys TOTALLY look forward to it! And thank you, Rach, you’re too kind!! 🙂
omg this looks soooo good !!! have to try it 🙂
Thank you!! 🙂
This is simply gorgeous, Jasmine! Another beauty!
Thank you so much, Lana!
This looks so so delicious–summertime fresh Jasmine!! I do love pasta in all forms and this is prefect for right now. Also– my daughter talked me in to watching the Bachelorette and now I’m hooked,but I have to confess I’m rooting for Jordan, but have little hope a real stable marriage could come out of this crazy courtship!! What are the chances??? and P.S.– I made your turkey meatballs and polenta– so so good! and it makes a lot, so we’re having leftover for dinner tonight! thanks for the great recipe!! hugs hugs!
Thank you SO much, Rhonda!! I’m so glad that you tried and liked the meatballs and polenta. It definitely makes plenty of leftovers! And I completely agree with you – she seems to have the biggest connection with Jordan so of course you start to lean that way, but I’m not sure how stable their relationship could be! I have to say she already eliminated some of my favorite contenders, so I’m curious to see who she’ll end up with. 🙂
Please put in for a transfer and come be my neighbor. This looks delish!!
Haha, I’m on it!! Thanks, Sara! 🙂
Jasmine, this just looks perfect. Just what my household needs for an meal in the sun with a good bottle of wine!
Thank you, Matt!
Beautiful as expected! 😉 Bachelorette, huh? Let’s see, this will be 15 years of marriage, and I still don’t think I could get him to watch! But the coffee thing, we have that down!
Thank you, Sadie! The coffee definitely takes priority over all else! 😉
Such a perfectly summery meal. I love all these flavors, and I can imagine easily swapping out the chicken for grilled tofu or tempeh. I’ll have to try that!
That sounds like a delicious swap! 🙂 Thank you, Hannah!
I’ll have to try out this baking method. The recipe looks easy!. thank you for your post
It makes all the difference in the world! Thank you!
Your food always makes me so hungry 🙂
And your comments always make me so happy! 🙂
Oh my gracious, this looks DELICIOUS!
Thanks, Rach!! 🙂
It sounds delicious! A great blend of flavours. Thanks for bringing it to FF! 🙂
Thank you, Petra!
That looks so yum!! And about brining?! That’s so smart. I’ve brined a whole turkey once and let me tell ya…not pretty! But I’ve never thought about brining chicken breasts, duh! Thanks for sharing with Fiesta Friday! ??
Thank you, Angie!! I hadn’t thought about it either until I came across her site, but I’m definitely going to do it going forward. Thanks for stopping by!