Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad
Fresh pesto and mozzarella balls... need i say more? Ok, how about seasoned chicken and roasted vegetables with whole wheat pasta. Do I have your attention now? I hope so! This pasta salad is equal parts healthy and delicious. It's around 450 calories a serving, meaning you really can have your cake pasta and eat it too.
Servings: 4 yield(s)
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 25 mins
Total Time: 40 mins
Ingredients
    For the Pesto Sauce
  • 2 1/2 cup Fresh Basil
  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1/4 cup Warm Water
  • 1 Lemon
  • 3 tbsp Parmesan Cheese
  • 2 tbsp Chopped Walnuts
  • 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Pepper
    • For the Pasta
  • 2 Chicken Breasts
  • 3 Medium Zucchini
  • 1 cup Cherry Tomatoes
  • 1 Bunch Asparagus
  • 1 Medium Sweet Onion
  • 2 cup Whole Wheat Penne Pasta
  • 1 cup Pearl Mozzarella Balls
  • 1 tbsp Salt
  • 1 tbsp Pepper
  • 1 tsp Oregano
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375. Wash the veggies and basil. Chop the zucchini and onion into large bite sized pieces. Cut 1 inch off the stocky end of the asparagus (not the pointy tops) and discard the bottom pieces. Cut the asparagus in half and set aside. Pick the basil leaves off of the stems and set aside, discarding stems.
  2. Cut the chicken into large bite size pieces, they should be a similar size to the veggies you cut earlier. Place chicken pieces on a large baking tray, season with 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, and 1 tsp oregano. Push chicken to one side of the tray, and add zucchini and onion to the other side of the tray. Season veggies with salt and pepper to taste, and put tray in the oven for 10 minutes.
  3. While the chicken and veggies are cooking, fill a large pot with water and salt with 1 large pinch of salt. Heat over medium high heat until water is boiling.
    4. Make the Pesto Sauce
  4. While waiting for the water to boil and tray to finish baking, make the pesto sauce. In either a food processor or blender, add olive oil, minced garlic, the juice of 1 lemon, parmesan, basil leaves, walnuts, and ¼ c warm water. (Pro Tip: if you’re using a blender that’s a little finicky on you know, actually blending like mine is, put all the liquid ingredients in first before adding basil or walnuts. This will make it easier to blend). Pulse or blend until mostly smooth, and add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
    5. Finish the Pasta
  5. Remove chicken and veggie tray from oven. Add asparagus and tomatoes and return to oven for another 10 minutes. Add whole wheat pasta to boiling water and cook for 10 – 12 minutes.
  6. Once pasta is cooked, drain water from pasta and return penne to the pot you boiled it in. Add chicken and veggies to pot, and stir to combine. Add pesto (as much sauce as you’d like) and stir to coat pasta and veggies in sauce. Drain the mozzarella pearls from the water in the package, and add mozzarella pearls to pasta.
  7. Serve hot or cold, with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese on top.