Roasted Vegetable Linguine

I did some tweaking to this recipe. The original said to double the red pepper if you like your pasta spicy, but I would say 1/2 teaspoon is plenty for an edible zing. I wouldn't suggest this meal on a hot day (unless you have air conditioning!) since the stove and oven are running at the same time, but the end result was fresh summer goodness.


2 cups sliced mushrooms
1/2 lb. fresh or frozen asparagus, cut into 11/2-inch pieces
1 small onion, coarsely chopped (1 cup)
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 cups cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 13.25-oz. pkg. whole-wheat or white linguine
1/2 cup torn fresh basil leaves
1-2 chicken breasts, halved lengthwise if super thick

Preheat oven to 450°F. Toss together mushrooms, asparagus, onion, oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes in large roasting pan. Roast 20 minutes, or until mushrooms and onions begin to brown, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

Add tomatoes to pan, and roast 7 to 10 minutes more, or until tomatoes shrivel and soften. Transfer vegetables to bowl. Add wine to roasting pan, stirring to scrape off any stuck-on bits from bottom of pan. Place roasting pan on burner over medium heat, and simmer 2 to 3 minutes, or until wine has evaporated by half; or return roasting pan to oven 5 minutes, and let wine cook off.

Meanwhile, prepare pasta according to package directions and grill chicken. Rub chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and dried basil. Grill 3-5 minutes per side or until juices run clear. Drain pasta, and reserve 1/2 cup cooking water. Stir reserved cooking water into reduced wine in roasting pan.

Return pasta to pot. Add wine mixture and vegetables, and toss over medium-low heat until heated through. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Stir in torn fresh basil leaves, and serve immediately with chicken on top.