Chicken and Pesto Pasta

When I got married nearly five years ago, I never would have touched anything called "pesto." Actually, I wouldn't have been able to even identify the food, but by virtue of its green character, I would have stayed away from it. My, how things have changed. This is now one of my favorite meals.

Now, store-bought pesto is good, but nothing compares to homemade pesto. In my version, I use considerably less oil...most recipes call for at least 1/2 cup, but I use less than half of that. This results in a thicker, bulkier pesto, but for this dish I think the texture is perfect.

To make the pesto, put the following ingredients into a food processor...
2 cups (packed) fresh spinach leaves
4 cloves garlic (I go ahead and mince my garlic to avoid any pieces that may not get pureed)
1 bunch (a little less than 1/2 cup) fresh basil
Juice of 1 lemon, plus a little zest
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup slivered almonds
3 Tablespoons olive oil
Salt and Pepper

Process until all the ingredients are well-blended. The mixture will not be "smooth" but will have a thick and kind of chunky texture. If you make the pesto ahead of time, just store it in an airtight container in the fridge until you're ready to use.



For the chicken, you could cube a couple of boneless skinless chicken breasts and brown them on the stove, or use shredded or cubed boiled chicken. I used chicken that I had previously boiled, shredded, and frozen (see this post).

Spread one pint of grape or cherry tomatoes on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and put in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes. Boil one box of whole wheat penne pasta according to package directions. Once the pasta is cooked and drained, stir in the pesto. Once the pesto is incorporated, add the chicken. Finally, add the roasted tomatoes, mix everything together, and...


Enjoy!