Spinach & Toasted Pumpkin Seed Pesto Pasta
Total Steps
12
Ingredients
18
Tools Needed
1
Related Article
Eat Already!Ingredients
- 2 halves large chicken breast
- 1 lemon lemon (juice only)
- 3 tablespoons cooking fat (rendered chicken fat, butter or olive oil)
- salt
- pepper
- dry oregano
- 3 cups packed baby spinach
- 1 lemon lemon (juice and zest)
- 1/3 cups olive oil (plus more as needed)
- 3-4 scallions scallions (green portion only)
- 2-3 cloves garlic
- 1 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
- 3-4 tablespoons chopped parsley
- salt
- pepper
- 1 pounds colorful pasta (not too small)
- 1/2 tablespoon coarse salt (for toasting pumpkin seeds)
- shavings parmesan
Instructions
Step 1
Start by boiling water for pasta in a large pot. Add some salt and olive oil to prevent pasta from sticking. When water is boiling, add pasta, stir, reduce heat to medium and cook until ready (9-12 minutes, depending on pasta type). Drain an set aside.
Step 2
While pasta is cooking, prepare the rest of the components simultaneously.
Step 3
Start by heating the cooking fat in a skillet over medium heat.
Step 4
Sprinkle chicken breast halves with salt, pepper and dry oregano all over.
Step 5
Place chicken in heated oil and cook on both sides for a short time (1 minute each).
Step 6
Add juice of 1 lemon to the skillet, reduce heat to medium/low and continue cooking, turning occasionally, until done (about 10 - 12 minutes). Set aside.
Step 7
If toasting pumpkin seeds, put 1/2 tbsp of coarse salt in a small (preferably cast iron) skillet over medium heat. Add pumpkin seeds. Toast seeds for a few minutes, stirring or shaking frequently, until they start to crack and turn golden. Turn off the heat and leave pumpkin seeds in the skillet until cool. When move seeds away from salt before using them. It won't be hard, because they are lighter than coarse salt. Discard the salt.
Step 8
Now you are ready to prepare pesto.
Step 9
Reserve 1-2 tbsp of pumpkin seeds for garnish. Put the remaining pumpkin seeds and the rest of the pesto ingredients in a processor and hit pulse a few times at first, allowing everything to settle. Now turn the processor on and see if pesto is thin enough (consistency of pancake batter). If not, add a little more olive oil and/or lemon juice as you work the pesto.
Step 10
Slice or dice cooked chicken breasts.
Step 11
Assemble your dish in serving bowls: pasta, chicken, pesto, pumpkin seed sprinkle and shaved or grated parmesan.
Step 12
Now inhale deeply and try to say Spinach & Pumpkin Seed Pesto Chicken Pasta Bowl three times in a row fast. That's it!