Basil Pesto Chicken Breast
with pesto pasta salad
Basil pesto gives simple grilled chicken breasts and pasta salad a boost in summer flavor. Feel free to experiment with your pesto flavor by using different nuts and varying the amounts of cheese you use.
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Ingredients
Grilled Chicken Breast with Basil Pesto:
- Chicken breasts - 4 , halved
- Cooking oil - 1 1/2 Tbsp
- Basil pesto sauce - ingredients listed separately
Basil Pesto Sauce:
- Pine nuts - 1/2 cup
- Basil, loosely packed - 4 cups
- Garlic - 2 cloves , peeled
- Parmesan - 2 Tbsp ((Plus more for serving))
- Salt - 1/2 tsp
- Olive oil - 1/4 to 1/2 cup
- Lemon - 1
Italian Pasta Salad with Mozzarella & Tomatoes:
- Cherry tomatoes - 1 pint , halved
- Fresh mozzarella - 1/2 lb , cubed
- Fusilli (or other fun-shaped pasta) - 1/2 lb
- Basil pesto sauce - ingredients listed separately
- Lemon - 1/2 , juice of
Prep
- Chicken - Halve and then season & tenderize with salt & pepper. (Can be done up to 1 day ahead)
- Make pesto - Pulse pine nuts, basil leaves, garlic, parmesan, and salt in a food processor. Drizzle in olive oil until you get a sauce-like consistency. Squeeze in juice of 1/2 a lemon and season to taste with salt & pepper. (Can be done ahead of time and frozen up to 6 mos.)
- Tomatoes / Mozzarella - Prep as directed.
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Make
- Bring a saucepan of water to boil. Salt heavily (that water should taste like the ocean!) and add pasta. Cook until al dente, tender but not soggy. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup (118ml) of the salted pasta water.
- Toss pasta with reserved pasta water and enough pesto to coat (use remainder for protein). Next add in tomatoes, mozzarella, and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Chicken - Grill pan directions: Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush pan with cooking oil, and then add chicken pieces. Sear on both sides for 3 minutes. Lower heat to medium, cover with foil, and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes, until chicken reaches 165F (74C) degrees.
- Chicken - Grill directions: Preheat grill to 400F (163C) degrees, keeping one part on higher heat and another part on lower heat. Clean & oil grates and add chicken pieces to higher heat part. Sear on both sides for 2 to 3 minutes and then move to lower heat. Cook until 165F (74C) degrees, about another 2 to 3 minutes.
- Reserve half of chicken for tomorrow night's dinner or a future meal (can freeze for up to 6 mos.) and enjoy tonight's portion with pesto sauce and pasta salad.
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