CHICKEN PESTO PASTA

Chicken Pesto Pasta

Chicken Pesto Pasta – The combination of freshly-made basil pesto, filling pasta, and tender chicken. Treat your family with this quick and tasty dinner!

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

Ingredients

For Basil Pesto:

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves packed
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese about 2 ounces
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts can sub for cashews or walnuts
• 2 large garlic cloves minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt more to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper more to taste

For the Pasta:

• 16 oz. spaghetti or your favorite pasta (1 package)
• 1 small rotisserie chicken
• grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and pine nuts to garnish

Instructions

• Cook the pasta in a pot of salted, boiling water according to package instructions to your desired doneness. Reserve about 1/3 cup of cooking water.
• While the pasta is cooking, make the basil pesto. Place the basil leaves, toasted pine nuts, and garlic into a food processor and pulse several times. Add the remaining ingredients and process until very smooth. Set aside.
• Pull the meat from the rotisserie chicken and shred.
• Combine the hot pasta, pesto sauce, shredded chicken, and about 1/4 cup of reserved pasta water (or more, if needed). Garnish with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and toasted pine nuts. Serve immediately.