Superfood Kale Pesto Pasta With Roasted Chicken And Veggies

Name: Superfood Kale Pesto Pasta With Roasted Chicken And Veggies
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted; 1 bunch Tuscan kale, ribs removed, resulting in roughly 5 ounces of leaves (or a 5-ounce container of baby kale); 1/2 cup fresh basil; 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, from one lemon; 2 tablespoons lemon juice, from one lemon; 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar; 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt; 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil; 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano; 1 pound pasta; Kosher salt; 2 medium zucchini, cut into ½” cubes; 1 can Giadzy datterini tomatoes, drained; 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided; 1 1/4 teaspoon lemon and oregano salt, divided; 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (roughly 1 ¼ pounds total); 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

20 MINPrep Time

35 MINCook Time

6 to 8Servings

by Giadzy

Photo Credit: Elizabeth Newman

You must be signed in as a member to print this content

Getting your serving and then some of vegetables has never tasted quite so good! This pasta stars Giada’s divine superfood kale pesto which is just as delicious and vibrantly green as it is good for you. Roasting vegetables and chicken together on a sheet pan makes this such an easy meal to throw together. It’s fantastic for a nutrient-packed dinner, and a dream for meal-prepping for the week ahead (it’s delicious cold out of the fridge too!).

Superfood Kale Pesto Pasta With Roasted Chicken And Veggies

Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users

Prep Time

20 minutes

Cook Time

35 minutes

Ingredients

For the pesto:

1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
1 bunch Tuscan kale, ribs removed, resulting in roughly 5 ounces of leaves (or a 5-ounce container of baby kale)
1/2 cup fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, from one lemon
2 tablespoons lemon juice, from one lemon
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Added to Bag View Bag or Continue Shopping.

Cart Error Some items became unavailable. Update the quantity and try again.
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Added to Bag View Bag or Continue Shopping.

Cart Error Some items became unavailable. Update the quantity and try again.

For the pasta:

1 pound pasta

Added to Bag View Bag or Continue Shopping.

Cart Error Some items became unavailable. Update the quantity and try again.
Kosher salt

For the chicken and veggies:

2 medium zucchini, cut into ½” cubes
1 can Giadzy datterini tomatoes, drained

Added to Bag View Bag or Continue Shopping.

Cart Error Some items became unavailable. Update the quantity and try again.
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 1/4 teaspoon lemon and oregano salt, divided

Added to Bag View Bag or Continue Shopping.

Cart Error Some items became unavailable. Update the quantity and try again.
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (roughly 1 ¼ pounds total)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
For the pesto, toast the walnuts by heating on medium-low heat in a dry saucepan, stirring occasionally to ensure they do not burn. They should become very fragrant, after about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Pulse the walnuts in a food processor a few times until just coarsely chopped. Add the kale and basil, and pulse a few more times to break up the leaves. Add the lemon zest, juice, apple cider vinegar and salt, and pulse again until everything is roughly combined. With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Stir in the Parmigiano Reggiano. Add to a large bowl.
For the chicken and veggies, prepare a sheet pan with parchment paper. Add the chopped zucchini and drained tomatoes to the pan. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and ½ teaspoon of the lemon oregano salt, and toss together on the tray. Nestle in the two chicken breasts in between the veggies, and sprinkle the chicken evenly with the remaining ¾ teaspoon of lemon oregano salt, and drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Drizzle each chicken breast with the lemon juice. Cook in the oven for roughly 30 to 35 minutes, until the vegetables are golden brown and tender, and the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 160 degrees. Once cooked, allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes. Chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
Meanwhile, while the chicken and vegetables cook, heat a large pot of salted water over high heat. Once boiling, cook the pound of pasta until al dente. Using a pasta spider or slotted spoon, transfer the cooked pasta directly to the bowl with the pesto. Add the cooked chicken and vegetables on top, and add a half cup of pasta water to loosen the sauce, if necessary. Toss together until all ingredients are coated, and serve.