Tender grilled chicken breasts are sauteed in a lemon rosemary glaze and served with an al dante side of angel hair pasta with spinach and tomatoes. This chicken and pasta dish is a rustic and light dinner for any occasion!
When I worked at Johnny Carino’s, one of the most popular dishes was called Lemon Rosemary Chicken. The chicken was always perfectly grilled and had the best glaze on it. It’s been years since I’ve worked there, but I recently decided to take on a copycat version of the dish so we could enjoy it at home. I couldn’t believe how much my version tasted like the original! And it was really easy. Even better!
This dish has so much rustic flavor without a ton of work. I love the flavor of the grilled chicken with the glaze. And the angel hair pasta is tossed with simply spinach, tomatoes, and garlic. This is a great dish if you want to eat something healthy and hearty.
Copycat Johnny Carino’s Lemon Rosemary Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 8oz chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
- 2 c. Italian dressing
- 5 rosemary sprigs 1 for glaze and 4 for garnish
- juice of 1/2 a lemon
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 c. olive oil
- 4 tsp. minced garlic
- 2 c. fresh baby spinach
- 1 c. tomatoes diced
- 1 lb angel hair pasta
- 4 lemon wheels to garnish
Instructions
- Place the chicken in a gallon sized ziploc bag. Pour 1 cup dressing in the bag and allow chicken to marinate for at least 3 hours but no longer than 12 hours. Grill chicken over medium-high heat until cooked through.
- Place remaining Italian dressing in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add rosemary sprig, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Move the rosemary sprig around the pan to allow the flavor to mix into the glaze. Place chicken in the pan and spoon glaze over the chicken until there is no glaze in the pan. Set aside.
- Cook pasta in a large pot according to package directions. Drain and set aside. In another large saute pan, add olive oil, spinach, and garlic and saute over medium heat until spinach is cooked. Add tomatoes and stir in with the spinach. Then add pasta and toss together with tongs.
- To serve, divide desired amount of pasta onto four plates. Add a chicken breast to each plate and garnish with lemon wheel and rosemary sprigs.
Kitchen tools and gadgets needed for this recipe:
I can’t wait to make this dish again! It’s a great family dinner and perfect for summertime.
Looking for more copycat favorites? I’ve even more! Check out some of my favorites below:
Copycat Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce
Copycat Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Barbacoa Salads
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Claire says
What is Italian dressing? Is that like salad dressing (liquid)?
I am in Australia, so not 100% sure of the product needed.
Alli says
Yes! Liquid Italian salad dressing. Thanks for asking! I’ll be sure to adjust the recipe