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Sweet Tea Brined Chicken and Garden Pesto Spaghetti Carbonara

Course: Grilling
Cuisine: Southern
Author: Southern Made Simple

Ingredients

  • For Sweet Tea Brined Chicken:
  • 3-4 Skinless Chicken Breasts I used boneless
  • 2 cups Gold Peak Sweet Tea
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup salt
  • 1 Tbs onion powder
  • 3 cloves garlic - minced
  • 3 Tbs sage - I find it in the spices aisle
  • 1 Tbs black pepper
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • ***
  • For Garden Pesto Spaghetti Carbonara:
  • 1 lb Barilla Pasta (I used Hidden Veggie Spaghetti
  • 2 eggs uncooked and scrambled in a bowl
  • 4 Tbs Butter + 4 Tbs Olive Oil
  • 4 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 cup shredded Parmesan Cheese - divided
  • 1 tsp Garlic Salt
  • 5-6 sliced of bacon - cooked and diced
  • 1/2 cup basil pesto + 1/2 cup additional for optional baked tomato topping)

Instructions

  • For Chicken:
  • Combine all ingredients in a large bowl or plastic zipper bag and place chicken breasts inside - being sure to cover or seal completely. Stir the contents and allow chicken to brine in mixture for 12-24 hours (24 hours is best)
  • Remove chicken from brine
  • Heat grill to medium heat and cook on both sides until chicken is completely cooked throughout. (All grill cook times vary. I used a small grill and cooked for 25 minutes, flipping once. This recipe can be adjusted to cook on stove top or in oven)
  • ***
  • For Pasta:
  • Cook pasta according to instructions
  • (Optional) While pasta is cooking, preheat oven to 400 F and line a baking sheet with foil
  • Slice a garden fresh tomato and place on foil. Spoon a little pesto on each slice and top with a few sprinkles of Parmesan cheese. Cook for 15 minutes (this will sit on top of your pasta. It's optional, but recommended!)
  • Once pasta has been cooked and drained, immediately add in butter, oil and minced garlic and stir generously for a few seconds
  • Next, quickly add in eggs and stir (the eggs will cook themselves amongst the hot pasta
  • Add in garlic salt, bacon, 1/2 cup pesto and Parmesan cheese and stir
  • Top with baked tomato and serve immediately with Sweet Tea Chicken

Tried this recipe?

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