Recipe | Penne with Pesto and Chicken

Whole Wheat Penne with Pesto and Chicken

The basil from this week's Katchkie Farm CSA was wilting fast and rather than lose out on those bright and fresh summer basil flavors, I pulled together a batch of pesto. While making the pesto, I drank a negroni because Italian calls for Italian.

Pesto Recipe

Ingredients
- 2 cups basil leaves
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
  
- 1/2 cups finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup roasted garlic olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- Salt & pepper

Directions
1) In a food processor (I used one of the smaller ones for this job), add the pine nuts and the basil.
2) Pulse several times until finely chopped and blended.
3) Add the garlic and pulse again.
4) Clean down the sides of the bowl and add one of the olive oils.
5) Run the food processor until well blended together.
6) Add the other olive oil and complex the processing.
7) Add the cheese and blend again.
8) Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.


Whole Wheat Penne with Pesto and Chicken Recipe

Ingredients
- 1 chicken breast, cut up into 3/4-inch pieces
- 1/4 white onion, finely chopped
- Pesto
- 3 handfuls of whole wheat penne

Directions
1) Boil well salted water in a medium - large pot.
2) Add penne to the water.
3) In a large sauté pan, over medium-low heat, add a good glug of olive oil and cook the onion until translucent. Don't brown it.
4) Add the chicken and turn up the heat to medium.
5) When chicken is cooked through, add a few tablespoons of pesto sauce to the pan and toss.
6) When the penne is cooked to your liking (al dente), with a slotted spoon, add the penne to the sauté pan. Getting some water in the pan is a good thing, which is why you shouldn't just drain the pasta in a colander.
7) If the pasta, chicken and sauce looks a little tight, add some water and / or some more pesto.
8) If desired, add a little more cheese and serve.






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