Food Storage Friday: Chicken Pesto Pasta

Been dying to try out that pesto recipe, haven't you? Well, here's an easy recipe to satisfy your craving.

And, it's delicious.



Ingredients: Pesto (fresh or jarred), Pasta, Almonds, Canned chicken. Yep, that's it.



First up, put a pot of water on the stove to boil. When it boils add your pasta and cook until al dente.

Second, put some almonds in a oven safe dish and bake at 300 degrees F, or so. Keep an eye on these, and a nose. When they start to brown slightly and release a warm nutty smell, pull them out and let them cool. You can also toast them on the stove like we did with the chicken salad.



Then add a little bit of oil to a skillet



And add your drained chicken. We're not recooking it, we just want to give it a little flavor and take away the 'canned' meat texture. You can season with salt and pepper, if you like.




Add your prepared pesto to a serving bowl.



Add your chicken





And your pasta.



I like to scoop straight from the pan with a slotted spoon. This ensures I get some of the starchy water into the pesto, making nicer sauce.



Mix it all together, adding a little more pasta water if the dish seems a little dry.



Add the toasted almonds right before serving so they don't lose their crunch.



You can't tell me that doesn't look delicious.

Pesto Chicken Pasta

16 oz pasta
1/3 cup (or so) prepared pesto (fresh or jarred)
almonds
13 oz chicken, canned

Bring a pot of water to a boil and add pasta. Cook to package directions, don't drain. Toast almonds in oven safe dish at 300 degrees F. Let cool. Drain chicken and saute over medium high heat in a little oil. Add prepared pesto to serving dish with chicken. Scoop cooked pasta into serving dish with a slotted spoon. Add toasted almonds just before serving.

Originally Posted: January 16, 2009