Kale Pesto Chicken Penne Pasta Recipe
Your family will love this one-dish meal that comes together quickly in one pan. This Kale Pesto Chicken Penne Pasta recipe has a healthy dose of protein and fiber, and it's packed with flavor!
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 957kcal
Ingredients
For the Pesto
- ⅓ cup walnuts
- 1 bunch kale torn, with thick stems removed (roughly 3 cups)
- 1 clove garlic roughly chopped
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese
- Juice of ½ lemon
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the Penne
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Salt and pepper
- 1 pound penne will give you roughly 8 cups cooked
- 2 heads of broccoli cut into small florets
Instructions
- Prepare the pesto by heating a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add in ⅓ cup walnuts and toast until just fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat.
- In the basin of a food processor, add in the walnuts, 1 bunch kale, 1 clove garlic, ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese, and Juice of ½ lemon. Pulse until everything is well chopped (but not mushy). You may need to stop and scrape the sides several times.
- With the food processor running on low, stream in ½ cup extra virgin olive oil until all is mixed in. Season with Salt and pepper. Set aside.
- In the large saucepan you used to toast the walnuts, heat 1 tablespoon avocado oil over medium-high heat. Season 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts liberally with Salt and pepper. Cook in the prepared pan for ten minutes, then flip over, and cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Remove the chicken from the pan and let it rest for five minutes before cutting into bite-size chunks. Set the chicken aside.
- While the chicken is cooking, bring a large pasta pot of water to boil on the stove and cook 1 pound penne according to package directions. With four minutes remaining in cooking, add in 2 heads of broccoli, cut into florets.
- Ladle out one cup of the pasta cooking water and set aside. When the pasta is done, drain both the pasta and broccoli.
- Return the cooking pot to low heat. Add in the pesto, chicken, penne, and broccoli. Toss to coat, and then add in the reserved pasta cooking water, ¼ cup at a time, until it forms a sauce that coats the pasta well. Heat until everything is just warmed through.
- Dish up and serve topped with additional Parmesan.
Video
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 957kcal | Carbohydrates: 107g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 24g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 308mg | Potassium: 1486mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 2253IU | Vitamin C: 275mg | Calcium: 286mg | Iron: 4mg
