One of my favorite recipes to cook lately is a creamy pesto chicken w/ penne pasta. It's not a "quick & simple" recipe, BUT it does allow for many steps to be prepped ahead of time! Everyone in my family raves about it- my Mother would tell you that it's restaurant quality!
***Note: around the Atlanta area, I've found the best price for pine nuts to be at Publix. Kroger's are outrageously expensive; Walmart's price isn't great, but it's not as costly as Kroger. One little box (around 5 ounces, I think) makes approximately 2 meals-worth of pesto***
***Note: Fresh pesto turns dark VERY quickly- it doesn't really change the taste in my opinion, but brown pesto isn't all that appetizing! If you do prepare it ahead of time, put it in an airtight container & cover it with about 1/4 inch of olive oil***
Creamy Pesto Chicken (approximately 6 servings)
Ingredients
Pesto:
2 cups fresh basil, packed
4 cloves garlic
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (I use parmesan reggiano... nice flavor)
1/3-1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
1 medium ripe tomato, chopped (I use roma... lots of flesh, not much juice)
1/4 cup olive oil
Marinade:
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 cup white wine (I've been using moscato, but anything would work!)
2 tablespoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cubed (breast would work too, if you prefer light meat)
Pasta/Sauce:
1 (16 oz) package dried penne pasta
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 large onion, diced
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 (8 oz) jar oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
1/3-1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup heavy cream
salt & pepper (to taste)
Directions:
1. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in ALL pine nuts (2/3-1 cup). Continue stirring frequently until pine nuts have turned a golden brown color. Remove from heat & pour onto paper towels to drain excess oils. Set aside.
2. Pesto: Place basil, garlic, Parmesan, 1/3-1/2 c. pine nuts, and chopped tomato in food processor. Pulse a few times. Gradually add olive oil, while pulsing, until mixture is smooth & creamy.
3. In a bowl, stir together chicken broth, 1 cup white wine, dried basil, oregano, and minced garlic. Stir in chicken.
4. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water. Toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Set aside.
5. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in onionss, and sprinkle with sugar. Cook until the onions are soft and translucent. Stir in sun-dried tomatoes and pine nuts, and cook about 3 minutes. Stir in chicken and marinade. Stir in 1/2 cup white wine. Simmer chicken pieces, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.
6. Add pasta and pesto to the skillet. Stir in cream, and cook until the sauce is thickened. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Serve with freshly grated parmesan.
Bon Appetit!
