Chicken Pesto Mozzarella Pasta

Due to the fact that C and I live so far away from our families, it's usually only him that gets to taste my cooking.  So, while I was in Traverse City and had my parents and grandparents around, I decided to treat them one night!  Simple ingredients, but the outcome was pretty tasty.

 

In a large skillet, over medium heat, cook chicken breasts until about 3/4 of the way cooked through.

Do you all remember my friend Nicole and her blog Thought For Food and Other Things?  She's a friend of mine from my home town and our parents know each other.  She's also very Italian, as is her Dad.  Turns out her Dad brings my Mom a container of his homemade pesto once a year, how nice!  Especially nice for me because I was able to cook and eat some! Slice fresh mozzarella, tomatoes to put on top of the pesto.

Line a baking sheet with foil and non stick spray.  Cover the chicken breasts with the pesto.  

Cover with slices of tomatoes.  Bake in the oven at 350 F degrees for around 10 minutes to make sure the chicken is cooked through and that the tomato and pesto flavors start to sink in.  While the chicken is cooking in the oven cook whatever pasta you fancy according to package directions.  

Cover with mozzarella and put back in the oven for around 2 minutes to melt the cheese.  When pasta is finished cooking, drain and coat with olive oil and any leftover pesto you might have.

Serve chicken on top of pasta.  This dish has a bit of everything good.  The homemade pesto was awesome, and made me want to make my own.  Fresh and homemade just makes such a difference.  Enjoy :)

Chicken Pesto Mozzarella Pasta

Serves 4

4 chicken breasts

1/2 cup pesto

8 oz fresh mozzarella

2 tomatoes

pasta

olive oil to taste

In a large skillet, over medium heat cook chicken breasts until about 3/4 of the way cooked through.

Line a baking sheet with foil and non stick spray.  Cover the chicken breasts with the pesto. 

Cover with slices of tomatoes.  

Bake in the oven at 350 F degrees for around 10 minutes until chicken is cooked through.

While the chicken is cooking in the oven cook pasta according to package directions.

Cover with mozzarella and put back in the oven for around 2 minutes to melt the cheese.  

When pasta is finished cooking, drain and coat with olive oil and any leftover pesto you might have.

Serve chicken on top of pasta.

Pasta w/ Cilantro-Peanut Pesto

Pesto is such an amazing thing.  I can name around 5 different meals made with pesto that I know by heart and love.  It's so easy and jam packed with flavor you'd be crazy now to love it.  Making your own pesto might sound tedious, but it's really simple and great because you can change it up to add whatever flavors you like best.  This recipe is a great starting point, so try along with me!

Crush two cloves of peeled garlic.

You'll need one bunch of cilantro, reserving 1/4 cup of the leaves to serve with.

I had some leftover basil so I chopped two leaves of basil.

1/2 teaspoon of grated lime zest, with two tablespoons of lime juice.

Combine all ingredients in a food processor: garlic, cilantro, basil, red pepper flakes lime zest and juice, ginger, oils, brown sugar, and 1/4 cup of peanuts.  Pulse until it becomes a coarse paste.  Season with soy sauce and pulse to combine.  

In a large bowl toss pesto with pasta.  Top with chopped peanuts remaining and cilantro leaves.  Usually pesto tends to be a little more basil based, so this will taste a little different due to the cilantro leaves, but it's very tasty!  Great weeknight meal that's great for you.  I used whole wheat pasta and this dish only has 470 calories per serving, and one serving will be sure to fill you up.  Enjoy!

Pasta w/ Cilantro-Peanut Pesto

Serves 4

Adapted from Everyday Food Magazine

1 bunch of cilantro, reserving 1/4 cup of leaves for serving

2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

3/4 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled

2 basil leaves 

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon grated lime zest, plus 2 tablespoons juice

1 teaspoons light brown sugar

1/3 cup roasted peanuts, divided

2-3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

3/4 pound pasta of your choice, cooked according to package directions

In a food processor, combine cilantro, garlic, ginger, vegetable and sesame oils, red-pepper flakes, basil, lime zest and juice, brown sugar, and 1/4 cup of peanuts.

Pulse until a coarse pasta forms.

Season with soy sauce and pulse to combine.

In a large bowl toss pesto with pasta.

Roughly chop remaining peanuts and sprinkle over pasta along with cilantro leaves.

Rice Noodles w/ Broccoli-Almond Pesto

Hi all! I took a week off, sort of a winter break, and it seems like it's been so long!  Between a long weekend in Chicago visiting my brother and taking some time off to go to Port Aransas to see C's parents, life has been pretty busy.  I'm happy to say that I'm back though, ready to be back in the kitchen and filling your lives with tasty treats! 

This recipe was the first time I ventured out and tried rice noodles.  As I've stated in previous posts, I'm a pasta lover.  My butt doesn't lie, I like carbs.  So I was hesitant that the rice noodles could even come close, and although they by no means are a substitute for pasta, they are a kind of their own.  Delicious, creamy and very filling.  I urge you to try them out and let me know what you think, and this recipe would be a great way to test them out!

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil.  Cook one head of broccoli florets and sliced stems until bright green and tender.  Remove with a slotted spoon, and set aside to cool slightly.  Make sure you reserve the water!

Roughly chop around one cup of broccoli and set aside.  Puree the remaining florets.

Also add toasted almonds, fresh basil leaves, one minced garlic clove and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice.

Add 6 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Set aside.

Return water to a boil and cook 8oz medium rice noodles according to package directions.  Drain noodles, reserving one cup of the water.

Toss the noodles with the pesto, adding pasta water until creamy.

Top each serving with chopped florets, small basil leaves, and remaining almonds.  This dish was so creamy, the noodles are soft and go perfect with a the pesto sauce.  Enjoy this healthy and delicious meal, and have a great Monday!

Rice Noodles w/ Broccoli-Almond Pesto

Adapted from Whole Living Magazine

Serves 4

1 head broccoli

7 tablespoons sliced almonds

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves

1 minced garlic clove

2 tablespoons lemon juice

6 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

8oz medium rice noodles

Bring a pan full of salted water to a boil.

Cook 1 head of broccoli until bright green and tender.

Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool slightly. 

Reserve the water.

Roughly chop 1 cup of cooked florets and set aside.

Puree the remaining broccoli with almonds, basil leaves, garlic, lemon juice.

Add in olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Return water to a boil and cook the rice noodles according to package directions.

Reserve 1 cup cooked water, drain noodles and return to pot.

Toss with pesto, adding reserved pasta water until creamy.

Top each serving with chopped florets, remaining almonds and basil.

Season with salt and pepper to taste and enjoy.