pesto chicken pasta
The teens I work with are always looking for lunch ideas they can prep on the weekend for the week ahead. Pasta is a great option for slow-releasing energy so they have energy that lasts for the whole day at school. You can have fun with this and mix up the nuts you use in the pesto and the veggies you roast too! Hope you love this recipe!
recipe (serves 3-4)
ingredients
1 cup pumpkin, skin and seeds removed
1 zucchini
2 cups basil
1 tbsp oregano
½ cup almonds, roasted
1 clove garlic, roasted
1 lemon
Olive oil
¼ cup fresh parmiggiano reggiano
500g chicken breast, diced
500g wholemeal pasta
method
1. Preheat oven to 180C.
2. Chop up the pumpkin and zucchini into bite sized pieces and pop them on a non-stick tray. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Roast for 30-40 minutes or until cooked through and lightly golden.
3. While the veggies are cooking marinate the chicken. In a large bowl, add in the chicken, the zest of half a lemon, the juice of half a lemon, oregano, a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Mix well and set aside.
4. Get cracking on the pesto. In a food processor, add in the basil, the zest of half a lemon, the juice of half a lemon, the parmesan, ½ cup olive oil, almonds, garlic, and a sprinkle of salt. Pulse until combined and set aside.
5. In a large fry pan with high sides over high heat, drizzle some olive oil. Once it’s hot add in the chicken and sauté until cooked through.
6. While the chicken is cooking, cook the pasta according to packet instructions.
7. Once the chicken in cooked, add in the cooked pumpkin and half the pesto. Cook together for a couple of minutes before adding in the cooked pasta and the remainder of the pesto.
8. Serve with extra parmesan on top and enjoy!
tip
This is perfect to prepare on a Sunday for a few days of easy lunch boxes!
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