Superfood Kale Pesto Pasta With Roasted Chicken And Veggies

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.