Description
Indulge in a delightful meal with this Chicken & Vegetable Penne topped with a flavorful Parsley-Walnut Pesto. It’s a perfect blend of protein-packed chicken, nutritious veggies, and a zesty pesto sauce that will leave your taste buds wanting more.
Ingredients
Scale
Penne Pasta:
- 12 ounces penne pasta
Chicken:
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
Vegetables:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 zucchini, sliced into half-moons
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 cups baby spinach
Parsley-Walnut Pesto:
- 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
- 1 cup fresh parsley leaves
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 garlic cloves
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Boil salted water and cook penne until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water.
- Cook Chicken: Sauté chicken in olive oil until cooked, then set aside.
- Sauté Vegetables: In the same skillet, sauté zucchini, bell pepper, and tomatoes; add spinach.
- Make Pesto: Blend walnuts, parsley, Parmesan, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil until smooth.
- Combine: Toss chicken, vegetables, cooked pasta, and pesto together. Add reserved pasta water if needed. Serve garnished with Parmesan.
Notes
- You can use basil instead of parsley.
- For a vegetarian option, omit chicken and add more veggies like mushrooms or broccoli.
- Whole wheat penne can be used for added fiber.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 280mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 52g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
