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

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. 
  2. 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. 
  3. 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. 
  4. 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. 
  5. Spread veggies onto baking sheet and roast in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes. 
  6. Once chicken has cooked through, vegetables are roasted and pesto is done, combine all together in a large pot. 
  7. 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 

 

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