Golden pan-fried chicken, peppery arugula and juicy cherry tomatoes are tossed with al dente pasta in a rich homemade walnut pesto — this is the kind of weeknight dinner that feels like a treat. The toasted walnuts and Parmesan make the pesto creamy and nutty, and everything comes together in about 30 minutes, much like our Creamy Tomato Chicken Pasta and Hearty Chicken and Pasta Pie.
Ingredients
- 200 g (7 oz) pasta
- 300 g (10.5 oz) chicken breast
- A handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
- A handful of arugula
- For the pesto:
- 30 g (1 oz) fresh basil
- 10 g (0.35 oz) arugula
- 40 g (1.4 oz) parmesan, grated
- 40 g (1.4 oz) walnuts
- 2 garlic cloves
- 80-100 ml (1/3-1/2 cup) olive oil
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta until al dente. Slice the chicken breast and pan-fry until golden and cooked through.
- Blend the basil, arugula, parmesan, walnuts, garlic and olive oil into a smooth pesto, seasoning with salt.
- Toss the hot pasta with the chicken, cherry tomatoes, arugula and pesto.
- Plate, scatter the walnuts over the top and finish with extra grated cheese.
Tips
- Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet for 2-3 minutes before blending to deepen the pesto’s flavor.
- Toss the pasta with the pesto while it’s still hot so the sauce clings to every strand.
- seriouseats.com has great guides for making perfect pesto at home.
Nutrition: per 100 g: 112 kcal, protein 11 g, fat 4 g, carbs 2 g