Chicken Pasta with Pesto
Makes 6 servings (2 cups per serving)
Ingredients
For Pasta:
- 2 tsp. olive oil
- ½ onion, diced
- 1½ lb. chicken breast, chopped
- 2 cups broccoli flowerets, chopped
- 2 cups zucchini, chopped
- 2 cups cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup cauliflower, chopped
- 1 cup bell pepper, chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- Juice of ½ lemon
- Dash of salt and pepper
- 3 cups penne pasta, cooked
For Pesto:
- 2 cups packed arugula
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- ½ tsp. salt
- 2 cloves garlic
- ¾ cup cashews, dry roasted
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Heating 1 tsp. of olive oil on medium heat. Add onions and saute until they start to soften. Add in chicken breast and let cook, stirring often.
- In a high-powered blender or food processor, combine all pesto ingredients. Pulse until smoothly blended together, adding a few tablespoons of water to help with the blending process if needed.
- In a large bowl with a fitted lid, combine broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms, cauliflower and bell pepper. Add remaining 1 tsp. of olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Fit lid to top of container and shake to distribute seasonings evenly over vegetables.
- Spread veggies onto baking sheet and roast in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes.
- Once chicken has cooked through, vegetables are roasted and pesto is done, combine all together in a large pot.
- Divide into 6 even portions, serving over ½ cup of cooked pasta for a balanced meal. Enjoy!
*Meal prep tip: double the pesto recipe and freeze extra portion for up to 3 months.
Nutritional analysis per serving: 389 calories, 13.9 g fat, 33.7 g protein, 32.2 g carbohydrate (25.9 g available carbohydrate), 6.3 g fibre, 337 mg sodium
My Viva Servings: 1 grain, 4 protein, 3 vegetable, 0 fruit, 1 fat, 0 dairy