This pasta is so simple and a nice change of flavor from tomato sauce. The dish is loaded with protein, fiber, and healthy greens. It is also gluten free and can be easily modified to be dairy free.
First you will need to make my Spinach Pistachio Pesto Recipe which can be made dairy free by replacing parmesan with nutritional yeast. Then add it to some bean or lentil based pasta plus chicken and you have yourself a tasty protein packed dinner!
Top with additional basil or parmesan, or with tomato slices.
Ingredients
[Serves 4]
1 - 8 ounce box Banza or any other lentil or bean pastas (I used bowtie)
2 large chicken breasts cut up into bite sized pieces
1/2 cup spinach pistachio pesto (Spinach Pistachio Pesto Recipe)
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
Salt and pepper to taste for chicken
Directions
Make pesto -- Spinach Pistachio Pesto Recipe here
Cut up chicken into bite sized pieces.
In a large skillet on medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add your chicken pieces and cook until all pieces are fully cooked, stirring and flipping the chicken occasionally. Add salt and pepper to taste.
While the chicken is cooking, start the pasta and cook according to directions. Just be mindful that these types of pasta tend to boil up more due to extra starch.
Once the chicken is cooked through, turn off the burner and set aside.
When the pasta is done, drain and rinse to remove the extra starch. Lentil and bean based pasta tends to have a lot so I highly recommend this step. Pour the pasta back into the warm pot and place back on the warm burner (it should be turned off).
Lastly add your pesto and your chicken to the pasta and mix everything until the pesto is fully incorporated. If it is not mixing in well, you can add a touch of extra oil.
Garnish with more parmesan, basil, or tomatoes.
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