Pesto Chicken Pasta
This amazing Pesto Chicken Pasta dish comes together in just 30 minutes which makes it perfect for weeknight dinner. A simple recipe for kale pesto is included but you can also use store-bought pesto to make this meal even quicker. Make it gluten free with Chickapea pasta!
Ingredients
Simple vegan pesto: (or use 3/4 cup storebought pesto)
- 1-1/2 cup (350ml) greens (kale, spinach, Swiss chard) torn, hard stems removed
- 1/2 cup (120ml) herbs (parsley, cilantro, basil)
- 1/4 teaspoon (1.2ml) sea salt
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 large lime juiced
- 1/2 cup (120ml) oil olive or avocado
- 1/3 cup (80ml) raw almonds
Chicken Pesto Pasta
- 1 box (8oz/227g) Chickapea Penne pasta
- 2 chicken breasts (about 1lb/450g)
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) oil
- salt & pepper
- 2 small roma tomatoes diced
For serving: chopped parsley, parmesan
Instructions
Make Pesto:
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Place greens (hard stems removed), herbs, salt, garlic and lime juice in a food processor. Turn on and slowly pour in oil while machine is running.
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Add almonds and pulse until coarsely chopped. Set pesto aside.
Chicken Pesto Pasta
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Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the Chickapea penne until al dente. Reserve about ½ cup (125ml) of the pasta water, then drain the pasta.
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Heat a skillet to medium-high heat then drizzle with a tablespoon of oil. Season the chicken breasts with salt, then place in the hot skillet.
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Turn heat to medium. Cook the chicken breasts for about 6-10 minutes per side. Once flipped season with black pepper.
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The chicken breasts are done when the internal temperature reaches 165°F/75°C. Set them aside on a cutting board to rest for a 5 minutes before slicing.
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Add the drained pasta to the same skillet on low heat. Pour in some of the reserved pasta water as well as ¾ cup (180ml) of the pesto. Toss gentle to combine until all the penne is nicely coated in pesto.
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Top with sliced chicken, more pesto, diced tomato, parsley and parmesan. Serve hot or cold as pesto chicken pasta salad.