CHICKEN PESTO PASTA
Ingredients
- 2 x skinless free-range chicken breasts
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 2 sprigs of rosemary
- 2 tbsp rapeseed oil (or alternative)
- 4-5 cloves of garlic, squashed but unpeeled
- 1-2 fresh red chillies, sliced into halves
- 8 cherry tomatoes, cut into halves or quarters
- 250g green beans
- 200g baby spinach
- 300g pasta
- Basil pesto
Preparation
- On a sheet of baking paper cover the chicken with salt, pepper, fennel seeds and rosemary leaves.
- Fold paper over chicken and use a rolling pin or similar to bash the chicken, flattening to 1.5cm thick.
- In a large frying pan on high heat, fry the chicken with rapeseed oil, adding garlic and chillies.
- Turn chicken after approximately 3 minutes or golden brown, continue to cook until chicken is cooked through.
- Remove ends from beans and cook in boiling salted water for 6 minutes (lid on).
- Add the baby spinach to the beans in the last 30 seconds before draining. Reserve a small amount of this water for later use.
- Cook your pasta at the same time.
- In the chicken fry pan, toss through cherry tomatoes.
- Return the cooked pasta, beans and spinach to a pan, add in your basil pesto and stir together.
- You can add small amounts of the reserved cooking water if required.
- Slice your chicken how you prefer and serve with the tomatoes and chilli.
- Garnish with a little extra Parmesan and basil leaves.
NOTE: You can make this dish look interesting by slicing up fresh lasagna sheets instead of penne, or try with other favourite veggies.