Recipe
Asparagus Pesto Grilled Chicken Pasta
For a quick, delicious and fresh mid week meal you can’t go wrong with this pesto pasta dish.
Ingredients
- 2 bunches asparagus, trimmed
- 1/4 cup basil leaves
- 1/4 cup pine nuts or walnuts
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1/4 cup olive oil, plus 2 tsp extra
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 500 g pasta spirals
- 400 g chicken breast
- Sea salt and cracked black pepper
Method
- Blanch one bunch of asparagus in boiling water for one minute until bright green. Immediately drain and refresh under cold water.
- Place blanched asparagus, basil, nuts and garlic into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until ingredients are finely chopped. Add 1/4 cup olive oil and blend to combine. Add Parmesan, lemon juice, and a good pinch of salt and pepper, and pulse once or twice to incorporate.
- Prepare pasta according to packet directions.
- While pasta is cooking, drizzle chicken breast with one teaspoon of the oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook on a preheated grill pan or barbeque for 3 – 5 minutes each side – depending on thickness – until cooked through. Set chicken aside to rest.
- Toss the second bunch of asparagus with remaining 1 teaspoon of oil and cook on a hot grill pan or barbeque for 3 - 4 minutes until bright green and tender-crisp. Cut grilled asparagus into bite-sized lengths.
- Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of cooking water, and return pasta to the pan. Stir through asparagus pesto, adding a bit of the reserved water to create a sauce. Serve pesto pasta topped with gilled chicken and asparagus.