Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad
Chicken pesto pasta salad combines basil, olive oil, pine nuts, garlic, and cheese to form a delightful pesto that is tossed with seared chicken and penne pasta.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 1 pound penne pasta
- 2 pounds chicken breasts thin sliced
- salt and pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoon olive oil for pan frying
For the pesto
- 8 ounces fresh basil leaves about 5 cups
- 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup pignoli nuts
- 1 clove garlic grated
- 1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano
- 1/4 cup Pecorino Sardo substitute Pecorino Romano
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted (2 tablespoons kosher salt per gallon) water to boil. Cook pasta until al dente, then drain and rinse until cold.
- Combine basil, olive oil, pine nuts, and garlic in a food processor or blender. Pulse until a paste forms, stopping often to push down the basil. Add the cheese and pulse once more. Taste test and adjust salt levels. Set pesto aside in a bowl.
- Meanwhile, heat a large pan to medium heat. Pat the chicken dry then season with salt and pepper on both sides. Sear the chicken in olive oil until cooked through (about 3 minutes per side).
- Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and cut into strips.
- Combine the pasta, sliced chicken, and half of the pesto. Mix well and if needed add a bit more of the pesto at a time to get the consistency just right. Any remaining pesto can be saved for another use. Taste test and make final adjustments to salt and pepper if required.
- The chicken pesto pasta salad can be eaten right away or chilled for a few hours before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- Chilling for a few hours before serving really amps up the flavor.
- Any remaining pesto can be saved in the fridge for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 6 months.
- Leftovers can be saved for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 617kcal | Carbohydrates: 42.8g | Protein: 42.1g | Fat: 31.5g | Saturated Fat: 5.6g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 433mg | Potassium: 296mg | Fiber: 2.4g | Sugar: 2.1g | Calcium: 132mg | Iron: 4mg