Pesto Chicken Over Pasta

This dish is a “fast-no oven-required” dish! By the time you are waiting for the pasta- water to boil, mix pesto ingredients in the blender or food processor and brown the chicken in a skillet. This dish takes approximately 30-minutes to prepare. You can even substitute chicken strips with shrimp. Both cook quickly. For hectic days you can save an extra step by using the “Go-To” Pesto – see 8.11.16 post- that you prepared in advance and stored in your freezer OR simply buy a store brand pesto you like! Both

Ingredients

For the Pesto Sauce (makes more than needed; save the rest for another day)

• Fresh basil leaves – 2 cups, washed and patted dry

• Grated Romano cheese – ¼ cup

• Olive oil – 3 tablespoons

• Garlic – 1 medium clove (2 cloves if you like more garlic)

• Pignoli nuts – ¼ cup (or substitute walnuts)

For the Chicken & Pasta

• Chicken cutlets – ½ pound (about 4 thin cutlets), sliced into ½-inch strips

• Olive oil – 2–3 teaspoons  (Optional: use 2 tsp olive oil + 1 tsp butter for added flavor)

• Pasta – 1 pound (Tagliatelle or your favorite)

• Salt – ¼ teaspoon (for pasta water)

• Reserved pasta water – about 1 cup

To Serve (optional) Freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese or Extra pignoli nuts (whole or chopped) for garnish

• Directions

  1. Cook the Pasta:

     • Fill a 4-quart sauce pot with water and add ¼ teaspoon salt.

     • Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes.

     • Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta.

  2. While the Pasta Cooks – Make the Pesto:

     • In a food processor or blender, combine basil leaves, grated cheese, olive oil, garlic, and pignoli nuts.

     • Blend on high until a smooth paste forms.

     • Measure out 3–4 tablespoons of pesto for this dish. Store the rest in the fridge or freezer for later.

     • Short on time? Use 2–3 tablespoons of good-quality store-bought pesto.

  3. Cook the Chicken:

     • Heat olive oil (or olive oil + butter) in a skillet over medium heat.

     • Add the chicken strips and sauté until lightly browned and cooked through.

     • Stir in the pesto sauce and continue cooking, adding 1–2 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water at a time to loosen the sauce and help coat the chicken evenly.

  4. Combine and Serve:

     • Plate about 1 cup of cooked pasta per serving.

     • Spoon the pesto chicken over the pasta.

     • Garnish with a sprinkle of grated cheese and a few whole or chopped pignoli nuts if desired.