This is what the chicken and capsicums look like just before they are added to the pasta in this family friendly Monday night pasta meal. 


The school holidays are over, dinner time is looming and children are circling the kitchen like a pack of hungry wolves ready to pounce. A delicious, easy to prepare dinner is a MUST! 

This pasta dish can be made to feed a few or an entire team of junior football / hockey / athletics players (just slot in whichever sporting team you ferry your children to throughout the week). 

The ingredients below will adequately feed 5 people:

CHICKEN PIECES with the skin on. I used chicken supremes (breast with wing attached) because that was all I had in the house in the way of poultry. Allow 1 chicken piece per person. 

RED CAPSICUMS, 3 – 4 medium sized ones, cut into thick strips.

4 cloves GARLIC, roughly chopped.

1 teaspoon ITALIAN HERBS.

1 medium LEMON, finely grated rind and the juice.

3 tablespoons OLIVE OIL.

SEA SALT, BLACK PEPPER to taste.

2 bunches BROCCOLINI  or if unavailable, then use 2 small heads of BROCCOLI – cut into florets. 

150 ml pouring CREAM.

PARMESAN cheese, shaved off the block with a vegetable peeler.

500 grams long PASTA, I used tagliatelle but fettucini would also work well in mopping up all the lovely chicken juices. 

STEP 1) Preheat the oven to 200 degrees fan-forced. Meanwhile, toss together the chicken, capsicums, garlic, herbs, lemon rind and juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Use a large, deep baking tray to do this and then spread out the chicken and capsicums so that they roast evenly. Place in the oven for about 30 minutes or until cooked through with a crispy, golden brown skin. 

STEP 2) While the chicken and capsicums are cooking, put a large pot of salted water on to boil. When bubbling rapidly, add your pasta and cook for the amount of time recommended on the packet. In the last 2 minutes of cooking time, add the broccolini. 

STEP 3) Once the chicken is ready, cut it up into bite sized pieces on a chopping board then return it to the baking pan. Toss through with the cooked pasta – which will absorb the tasty pan juices – add the pouring cream and shavings of parmesan.  Best served and enjoyed immediately.