I actually can't believe that I haven't posted this recipe yet, since I tried it about 18 months for the first time to make use of my basil plant that was going crazy, and have made it dozens of times since then. Pesto chicken penne pasta, courtesy of course of Pinterest.
The first couple times I stuck straight to the recipe of just pasta, chicken, and pesto. Then I started adding frozen peas, for a more complete meal. Then sauteed onions and mushrooms. And then asparagus. And most recently zucchini, green beans, and/or baby spinach. So now it's a huge bowl of happiness.
Here is the recipe version:
Here is the pesto after I make it.
And here is my version
I really need to cut back on how much garlic I use, because I swear I could kill demons with my breath all afternoon. I keep telling myself that, and then the next time I again put too much garlic. But the pesto is so good, and I can't get enough of it.
This is absolutely one of my favorite dishes. There are so many flavors and textures all in one bowl. I just add salt & pepper to the chicken and grill it through. I throw the peas into the pasta for the last minute of cooking, so they soften but don't get mushy. I toss the asparagus (cut very small) and zucchini into the sauteed onions and mushrooms for a few minutes so it cooks through but still has some crunch. And I like playing with different shapes of pasta. Anything with ridges holds the pesto the best.
Recipe found on Sweet Anna's
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