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Chicken Pesto Pasta


Welcome to #BrunchWeek! We've been shifting our weekend schedules more in the last year and that's pushed our first meal of the day sort of out of the breakfast time period and more into a brunch one. I've been testing out some recipes and one of my favorites is this Chicken Pesto Pasta.

I found this recipe on the Taste of Home website.  I made a few minor changes.  I omitted the pine nuts due to allergies in the family.  You could definitely replace them with sunflower seeds or pepitas if you wanted.

Since most of the flavor in this one is coming from the pesto, make sure that you choose a really good one.  I like the Classico Traditional Basil Pesto, which is a nut free variety.

You can roast the chicken yourself or use rotisserie chicken.  I doubled a recipe for some grilled buttermilk chicken and froze the extra, so I defrosted and used that.

I threw in a sprinkle of shredded parmesan cheese, it would be great with some fresh mozzarella pearls also.

You can serve it warm or cold and it's delicious either way.  I loved it because it was filling but not heavy at all.  It actually was better the next day so it was nice to have it all ready to go at brunch time.

Thank you so much to Christie from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures for hosting #BrunchWeek and to all of the other bloggers for sharing their awesome recipes!  Be sure to go and check them out using the links down below!

 

Chicken Pesto Pasta

Chicken Pesto Pasta
Author: Jolene's Recipe Journal

Ingredients

  • 1 package (16 ounces) cellentani or spiral pasta
  • 2 cups cubed cookied chicken
  • 1 pint halved grape tomatoes
  • 1 container (7 ounces) prepared pesto, I like the Classico brand
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons shredded parmesan cheese, optional
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted, optional

Instructions

  1. In a Dutch oven, cook pasta according to package directions; drain and return to pan.
  2. Stir in chicken, tomatoes and pesto; heat through.
  3. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and pine nuts, if desired.
Easy, pesto, pasta, chicken
Dinner, Lunch, Brunch
American


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Monday #BrunchWeek Recipes

Beverages

Appetizers and Salads

Breads, Grains, and Cereals

Egg Dishes

Main Dishes

Desserts


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Comments

  1. This will make a great lunch served poolside this summer. Thanks Jolene.

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  2. So perfect for a summertime brunch! Love all those flavors.

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  3. So much flavor in this pasta dish! I need it in my life.

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  4. Love anything with pesto! No worries about bland pasta salad with this recipe!

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  5. Great salad idea for a sumer picnic!

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  6. What a lovely pasta salad. I love that you added chicken to it!

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  7. Pesto and chicken aways go so well together.

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  8. We love pesto so I know we will enjoy the pasta salad!! So much flavor!

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  9. Pesto is one of my favorite things! This looks fantastic for an easy lunch.

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  10. Pesto pasta is our favorite and this is an easy recipe! Love it.

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  11. I'm digging all the flavors in this pasta salad. The chicken, the pesto, the tomatoes. Yum!

    ReplyDelete

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