Chicken Pesto Pasta
A hearty meal made with savoury pesto sauce and a chef's tip for the most tender chicken ever! Recipe by Sue Mah, NutritionSolutions.ca
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken (about 4-5 chicken thighs or 2 chicken breasts), cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tsp light soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
- 3 tbsp canola oil, divided (1 tbsp + 2 tbsp)
- 2 cups sliced mushrooms (about 6-8 large mushrooms)
- 1 box 410 grams of dried pasta (e.g. penne, farfalle, rotini, gemeilli) [Or substitute with about 7 cups cooked pasta]
- 1 cup pesto [For convenience, I use store bought jars of De Cecco Pesto (not sponsored)]
- 1/3 cup sundried tomatoes, drained, sliced
- salt and pepper to taste
- fresh basil or parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Add the diced chicken to a bowl. Season with soy sauce and cornstarch. (This is a tip I learned from my chef Dad. The cornstarch and soy sauce help to tenderize the meat. Cornstarch also keeps the meat soft and velvety.) Toss to coat and allow to rest while cooking the pasta and mushrooms.
- Cook the pasta: Cook pasta according to pasta directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Drain the pasta, cover and set aside.
- Cook the mushrooms: Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Sauté the mushrooms for a few minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss the mushrooms and continue cooking until lightly browned. Remove from pan.
- Cook the chicken: Heat the remaining oil in the skillet. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally for 7-8 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 F.
- Make the meal: Turn heat to medium low. Toss pasta and mushrooms into the skillet and toss with the chicken. Stir in the pesto sauce until pasta is heated throughout. Toss in the sundried tomatoes. Add a splash of reserved cooking water or oil from sundried tomatoes if needed or if the pasta seems dry. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley.
