Recipe:Garlic Chicken Pesto Pasta

Garlic Chicken Pesto Pasta

by Jarvis Robinson

May 1, 2018

Garlic Chicken Pesto Pasta is a very popular pasta dish and it's most notable ingredient pesto is what really makes it an authentic and delicious Italian dish. Pesto is a sauce originating in Genoa, which is located in the northern region of Italy. It originated around the 16th century and traditionally consists of crushed garlic, basil and pine nuts blended with Parmesan cheese and olive oil. There are many variations of Pesto and most people associate it with the color green obviously coming from the main ingredient of basil. Since the word Pesto can be used to describe so many different types of sauces and dips the most traditional sauce’s name contain “pesto genovese”. Since this ingredient has different variety, this recipe has tie in perfectly, and is a good dish for you to enjoy.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola oil
2 chicken breasts, sliced into 1/2 inch (2 cm) strips
2 tablespoons garlic, chopped
½ tablespoon kosher salt
½ tablespoon black pepper, freshly ground
¾ cup (175 ml) heavy cream
½ cup (55 g) grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup (55 g) pesto
3 cups (600 g) penne pasta, cooked and drained
¾ cup (150 g) cherry tomato, halved
Parmesan cheese, to garnish
fresh basil, chopped, to garnish

Preparation

Heat the oil in a pan over high heat. Combine the chicken, garlic, salt, and pepper, cooking until chicken is browned. Then, mix in the heavy cream, parmesan, and pesto, stirring until evenly combined. Next, bring to a boil and cook until the sauce has reduced, about five to seven minutes. Toss in the pasta and cherry tomatoes, stirring until evenly coated. Remove from heat. To serve, sprinkle parmesan cheese and basil on top! Enjoy!