Monday, January 10, 2011

Pesto Chicken and Pasta with Broccoli

Looking for an easy uncomplicated weeknight meal after a long day at work?  Well this is the perfect recipe for you. It will probably take less time than ordering out and won't break the bank; just the right remedy needed especially after all that holiday spending.
All that you will need are chicken breast, pasta, and pesto to prepare this delicious meal in less than thirty minutes. I use frozen pesto from my summer stash but store bought works just fine.  Properly wrapped, frozen pesto will keep all winter long. In fact, I usually have enough on hand to carry me through to spring. Surprisingly it keeps all its fresh summery flavour and vibrant green colour thereby; dispelling the notion that it should only be kept frozen for a month or two month.  Try adding finely chopped pine nuts to the pesto for a nutty richer flavour.  For those of you up for an easy challenge, I'm including my recipe for pesto from an earlier post.


Basil Pesto:




Prepared spoonfuls for freezing.

Basil Pesto
4 cups basil leaves (washed and dried)
1 cup fresh Italian parsley
1 garlic clove
1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano  grated cheese
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a food processor chop the garlic.  Add the basil, parsley, grated Parmesan cheese, salt and pulsate.  Slowly add the oil in a constant stream while the food processor is still on, until finely chopped.  Makes 1 cup.  To freeze, place 6 spoonfuls on a tray which has been lined with parchment paper. Once frozen, wrap individually and transfer to freezer bags. Will keep for several months.

  
Pesto Chicken and Pasta with Broccoli

Method:
Step 1:  Smear a generous amount of  pesto on the chicken breast and drizzle some extra virgin oil on top
Step 2: Place it on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake in a 375º F oven. Roast until done (about 20 minutes or more, depending on the size of the chicken breast).
  
Step 3:While the chicken breast is roasting, boil some water and cook your favorite pasta .During the last few minutes, drop in some broccoli florets. Before draining the pasta and broccoli, reserve some of the water.
Step 4: Drain the pasta and broccoli.  
Step 5:Toss in the pesto and add a small amount as needed of the reserved water.
Step6: Plate the pasta with sliced pesto chicken breast on top.
Step7:Grate some Reggianno Parmigiano cheese and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.  Serve. 

29 comments:

  1. Quick to prepare but very good! Basil pesto has a fresh taste and I love it too! Pasta with broccoli is very tasty!

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  2. Right up my healthy, vegetable alley! I keep my summer pesto for 8 months. Cover it with a thin layer of olive oil, freeze and it's there for me. You just happily reminded me...

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  3. Looks great! I love quick recipes. My husband and I have a broccoli pasta that is our go to when we don't have a lot of time. Roast broccoli and walnuts with a couple of TBS of olive oil and toss with pasta and freshly grated parmesan. It's from a SIMPLE magazine and we love it. But I do love pesto and chicken....

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  4. This looks great and the basil pesto is easy to prepare. Thanks for sharing the recipe. Shall try this out :)

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  5. pasta e broccoli, pesto, very italian ! I like it!a hug dear Anna...

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  6. Tania, grazie per la visita. We are huge fans of pesto. We also love putting dollops of it on pizza.

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  7. Claudia, I don't add oil to mine before freezing the pesto. I simply freeze spoonfuls right after preparation,and then wrap them individually with parchment paper. The final step is to put the lot in a freezer bag. Isn't it great how the pesto retains all its flavour and colour after all those months?

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  8. Hi France, so nice to meet you. Thanks for dropping by. I recall going at lunch hour to this little restaurant on the south shore, back in the 80's and always ordering their pesto pasta. The chef would also add walnuts to his pesto. Walnuts are delicious in pesto and great replacement for pine nuts which have reached exurbanite prizes in Montreal.

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  9. Hi Elin, great recipe after all that rich holiday food. I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe and will give it a try. Have a great week.

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  10. Chiara, grazie.... it doesn't get much easier and more Italian than this recipe. It is one of my favourite meal.

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  11. Great recipe, looks so perfect and yummy!!

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  12. Thanks Dimah and have a good week!

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  13. Anna, this looks delicious...I love pesto and yours has such a beautiful and vibrant color :)

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  14. rrhhaaa lovely !!!! it is one of my favorite !!!

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