Give me an easy, healthy skillet dinner every night of the week! I created this for the busy crowd! You know who you are. The crowd that wants to eat a D to the LISH dinner that is healthy but doesn’t want to take all night in the kitchen to make it! I see you and I have your answer with this skillet dinner! We are on a healthy kick over here for a while so I made this dinner with some organic brown rice penne pasta and I have to say, it was great! You can use regular penne or any type of shorter cut pasta you like! Rotini would be another choice that would be great and would grab the pesto really well. I absolutely loved the fresh asparagus paired with the chicken and pesto. There is so much flavor in this easy dinner. Pair it with a chilled glass of Vermentino and DIVE IN!!
Skillet Chicken & Asparagus Penne with Basil Walnut Pesto
6
servings10
minutes20
minutesIngredients
1 lb 1 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Cubed
1 1 Small Yellow Onion Diced
2 2 Cloves Garlic Sliced
1 1 Bunch of Asparagus Trimmed
8 oz 8 Penne Pasta
1/2 cup 1/2 Dry White Wine
1/2 cup 1/2 Pasta Water
1/4 cup 1/4 Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 cup 1/2 Basil Walnut Pesto(See Notes)
1/2 cup 1/2 Sliced Cherry Tomatoes
Italian Parsley for Garnish
Directions
- To begin, heat water to boil pasta and when it comes to a boil, add salt to flavor pasta then add your pasta. Cook to package directions
- While your water is heating for the pasta, start prepping by dicing your onion, slicing your garlic and cubing your chicken. Heat your skillet over medium high heat and add 1-2 Tbsp olive oil.
- Add your diced onion and sauté until translucent
- Add sliced garlic and cook until fragrant. Get yourself a garlic press that has a built in slicer! This is a game changer in the kitchen!
- Add your cubed chicken and season with S&P to taste
- Once chicken is about half way cooked through, add your asparagus and sauté with chicken
- Once chicken is mostly cooked through, add your wine and simmer for 3 minutes to cook out the alcohol and build that flavor in your dish
- Add your pasta water and melt in your parmesan cheese
- Transfer your cooked pasta to your skillet with a slotted spoon and stir to combine
- Add your pesto and stir to combine
- Add in your cherry tomatoes and garnish with Italian parsley and more parmesan cheese if desired
- Ladle in bowls and DIVE IN!
Notes
- *Basil Walnut Pesto* 2 cups packed basil, 1 cup packed parsley, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, Zest of 1 lemon and juice of 1/2 a lemon, 1/3 cup walnuts, 3 cloves of peeled whole garlic, 1/2 tsp red pepper flake(if you want no heat, leave out the red pepper, but TRUST ME, the red pepper is game changer), S&P to taste. Place all ingredients in a high powered blender, and blend until smooth. Store in fridge for up to 5 days and enjoy on pizza, sandwiches and even in your eggs! The options are endless for this tasty addition!
- You can use store bought pesto if you wanted to keep your steps to a minimum.
- You can use any type of veggie in this easy skillet creation. Make it your own! Zucchini or String Beans would be a great addition to this.