Description
So many good things going on – pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, toasted pine nuts, and spinach. It’s VERY easy to put together, and has SO much flavor!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 small boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
- 3 tablespoons basil pesto
- 12 ounces fresh cheese tortellini (found by the deli)
- 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes (I buy them already julienned and packed in oil)
- 1 cup chopped fresh baby spinach
- 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a large skillet, melt butter and olive oil over medium high heat. When the pan is hot, add cubed chicken and season with salt and pepper. Allow the chicken to brown on all sides. Don’t stir it constantly, but let the chicken sear by resisting the temptation to keep it moving around in the pan.
- When the chicken is cooked through and has a nice golden sear, remove it from the pan to a separate bowl and set aside.
- Add another tablespoon of butter and a tablespoon of flour to the pan with the chicken drippings, and stir with a wooden spoon to loosen the brown bits on the bottom of the pan for a minute. Then add the chicken or vegetable stock, and pesto and whisk with the butter and flour. When the sauce is simmering, add the fresh pasta and cover. Turn the heat down to medium low and simmer for 3-5 minutes. Stir halfway through to make sure the pasta isn’t sticking to the pan.
- The pasta should be fully cooked, and now it is time to add the chicken back to the pan as well as the sundried tomatoes, spinach, toasted pine nuts, and Parmesan cheese.
- Cook for 1-2 more minutes on low, just to wilt the spinach and warm the chicken back up. Serve immediately.
Notes
*To toast raw pine nuts, just place them in a dry pan and turn heat to medium, stirring frequently. You will see a golden brown color on the pine nuts after a few minutes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Serving
- Calories: 727
- Sugar: 4.2g
- Sodium: 781mg
- Fat: 38g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 22.9g
- Trans Fat: 0.3g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 47g
- Cholesterol: 135mg