Grilled Marinara Chicken
I loved the Grilled Salsa Chicken so much. I had to try something similar with marinara and fresh Italian herbs. It's a toss up. They are both just so yumilicious!
I loved the Grilled Salsa Chicken so much. I had to try something similar with marinara and fresh Italian herbs. It's a toss up. They are both just so yumilicious!
- Carbohydrate 0 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 0 g
- Saturated Fat 0 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Recipe (0g)
- Sodium 73.6805729166668 mg
- Sugar 0 g
- Trans Fat 0 g
- Calories 0 calories
Step-by-step
- Chop the herbs.
- Stuff the herbs under the skin on the chicken thighs.
- Spoon in some sauce.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Grill until cooked through.
- Cook pasta as directed on box.
- Serve with remaining marinara sauce and Parmesan cheese.
Marinara sauce anchors this dish, bringing acidity and sweetness that balances the rich char from the grill. When selecting a commercial jar, look for products where tomatoes are the primary ingredient listed without added high-fructose corn syrup to ensure a clean, bright flavor profile. Stuffing fresh herbs directly under the poultry skin allows the rendered fat to baste the basil, oregano, and thyme continuously over direct heat. Maintaining a grill temperature of 375 degrees Fahrenheit ensures the chicken thighs cook through without burning the exterior herb layer before the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Resting the meat for five minutes prior to serving lets the muscle fibers relax and reabsorb their natural juices.
Structuring the Plate
Pairing grilled poultry with pasta requires balancing heavier starches against acidic tomato sauces. Whole wheat rotini offers a nutty flavor and a firm toothsome texture that stands up well to thick marinara without becoming waterlogged. Steamed broccoli rabe dressed with extra virgin olive oil and minced garlic cuts through the rich parmesan cheese finish with a pleasant bitterness. Roasting cherry tomatoes alongside the main protein adds a concentrated pop of sweetness that ties the plate together visually and texturally.
Kitchen Sequencing
Efficient execution in the kitchen depends on overlapping passive cooking phases. Drop the pasta into boiling salted water—using roughly one tablespoon of kosher salt per gallon—just as the chicken hits the grill grates so both components finish simultaneously. Reserve one-quarter cup of starchy pasta cooking water before draining the rotini to help emulsify the remaining jarred sauce into a glossy coating. Leftovers keep safely in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
