~Jackie~
Replacing traditional marinara red sauce, pesto has become one of my favorite household staples. The bold and vibrant flavor of pesto pairs nicely with chicken, seafood, and vegetables. This is one of those meals that you can whip up on a weeknight or weekend that’s easy to make but impressive to serve. I always recommend this recipe to my friends when they are cooking for a special someone and want a sure-fire way to impress their guest, but know they won’t be in the kitchen all night.
I like to use chicken tenders, but you can easily substitute shrimp or make the dish vegetarian with extra peppers and zucchini. The chicken tenders cook up quick in a saute pan and always turn out juicy. Penne is a great noodle to use because it catches the sauce in between the ridges and inside the noodle. I like to use a whole wheat penne with protein added because its an easy way to incorporatre extra nutrients. I also like to make a large batch of homemade basil pesto on the weekends and freeze it to use during the weeknights, but there are also a lot of great pestos you can buy right from the store.
The sun-dried tomatoes and fresh parmesean cheese are necessary for finishing off the pasta dish. There is a flavor that you get from sun-dried tomatoes that you can’t get from any other vegetable or even regular tomatoes. Serve warm with a spinach salad and big glass of red wine for a complete meal. Cheers!
- 6 chicken tenders
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1 box whole wheat penne pasta
- 1/2 cup homemade or store bought basil pesto
- 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup yellow onion, sliced
- 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, diced
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
- Cook pasta according to package directions in salted boiling water. Drain and add pesto when done cooking.
- Prep the chicken by drizzling on extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, basil, garlic powder, and salt and pepper.
- Heat a skillet on medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil before placing down chicken tenders. Cook for 5 minutes on each side or until cooked through.
- When chicken is done cooking using the same pan add in another tablespoon of oil and the sliced mushrooms and onions. Saute until softened and slightly browned, about 8 minutes. If vegetables are sticking to pan you can add a tablespoon of pasta water to help cook them.
- Add pesto to cooked pasta and stir. Stir in mushrooms, onions, and sun-dried tomatoes.
- Serve in pasta bowl and top with parmesan cheese and chicken tenders.
- To make this meal vegetarian just omit the chicken and add extra vegetables.
