Pesto is one of my favorite things to eat. My husband doesn’t care for it in large quantities, but I say, “The more the better.” Pesto can be used in salad dressings, on top of pizza instead of tomato sauce, on chicken dishes, and especially, on pasta.
This recipe is simple and it utilizes store-bought pesto. But if you’re feeling creative, go ahead—make your own. Just combine fresh basil, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil and blend.
Also, this recipe calls for fresh pasta. If you don’t have fresh, use dried. It works equally as well.
For this recipe you’ll need:
Approximately 1 pound of fettuccini
2/3 cup pesto
1 cup chicken broth
1 TB olive oil
2-3 minced garlic cloves
4 cups boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
2 cups red peppers, chopped
½ cup kalamata olives, chopped or sliced
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
To make this meal:
Prepare pasta according to package directions. You may salt the water prior to boiling the pasta if you’d like to add additional flavor. Do not rinse your pasta after cooking it.
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken (diced) and peppers and cook until browned and cooked through. Add olives and garlic and cook for two minutes more. Season with salt and pepper.
In the meantime, in a large bowl combine pesto and 1 cup of heated chicken broth (if you boiled the chicken). Set aside.
To combine:
Add the pasta to the pesto mixture and top with the chicken mixture. Add Parmesan cheese and mix well. Garnish with basil if desired.