It's hearty, it's fresh, it's a little bit rustic - this chicken and aubergine pasta is the kind of weeknight dinner that tastes like you've put in loads of effort, but really, it comes together without much fuss. Tender roasted eggplant, juicy chicken, and sweet grilled tomatoes tossed with pasta, basil, and parmesan? Absolute comfort food magic.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
This dish has the warmth of Mediterranean flavours and is one of my go-to chicken and eggplant recipes when I want something both filling and nourishing. Roasting the eggplant brings out its natural sweetness, the chicken adds satisfying protein, and that sprinkle of parmesan ties everything together.
It's especially perfect in the cooler months, when comfort food calls, but honestly I could eat this year-round. It also makes a great entertaining dish - think midweek dinner parties or Sunday lunch with family.
This recipe was inspired by my love of roasted eggplant pasta and also pairs beautifully with my chimichurri aioli recipe if you'd like a bold, herby dip on the side for crusty bread.
Ingredients
The star of the dish is eggplant (aubergine), which grills into soft, slightly smoky slices that melt into the sauce. Tomatoes keep things bright and juicy, while parmesan adds the salty savoury kick. Everything is tied together with simple herbs, olive oil, and fresh basil.
- Eggplant (aubergine)
- Tomato
- Onion
- Garlic
- Olive oil
- Mixed herbs
- Salt and pepper
- Birds nest pasta (or your favourite pasta)
- Chicken breast
- Fresh basil
- Parmesan cheese
See the recipe card below for full quantities and method.
Step-by-step instructions
- Preheat grill.
- Grill the eggplant and tomatoes
Use half of the oil to brush both sides of the eggplant and tomato. Season well with mixed herbs, salt and pepper. Place eggplant and tomato sliced in a single layer on baking tray lined with baking paper and grill until tender. (Approximately 5 minutes per side for the eggplant and 2 minutes per side for the tomatoes.) Set aside.
- Cook the pasta
Meanwhile cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and keep pasta warm.
- Sauté the garlic and onions
Heat the remaining oil and butter in the frying pan over a medium heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes, then add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Cook the chicken
Season the chicken and cook for about 10 minutes, until almost cooked through.
- Add grilled veg
Add the grilled eggplant, tomatoes, and basil. Cover and cook for another 3-4 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
- Serve
Serve chicken and eggplant over the pasta and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
Chicken and Eggplant Pasta with Basil and Parmesan
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
It's hearty, it's fresh, it's a little bit rustic - this chicken and aubergine pasta is the kind of weeknight dinner that tastes like you've put in loads of effort, but really, it comes together without much fuss. Tender roasted eggplant, juicy chicken, and sweet grilled tomatoes tossed with pasta, basil, and parmesan? Absolute comfort food magic.
Ingredients
- 2 Medium eggplants (aubergine), cut into ½ cm thick rounds
- 4 Tomatoes, cut into ½ cm thick rounds
- 2 tbs Olive oil
- 1 tsp Mixed herbs
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 400g Birds nest pasta
- 1 Onion, finely sliced
- 2 Cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
- 600g Chicken breast, cut into chunks
- ⅓ cup Basil, leaves plucked and torn
- 80g Parmesan cheese, grated
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat grill.
- Use half of the oil to brush both sides of the eggplant and tomato. Season well with mixed herbs, salt and pepper. Place eggplant and tomato sliced in a single layer on baking tray lined with baking paper and grill until tender. (Approximately 5 minutes per side for the eggplant and 2 minutes per side for the tomatoes.) Set aside.
- Meanwhile cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and keep pasta warm.
- Heat the remaining oil and butter in the frying pan over a medium heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes, then add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Season the chicken and cook for about 10 minutes, until almost cooked through. Add the grilled eggplant, tomatoes, and basil.
- Cover and cook for another 3-4 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
- Serve chicken and eggplant over the pasta and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: Rotisserie
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
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