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–+ servings

Fresh Basil Cashew Pesto Pasta with Chicken

Cubes of chicken and short rotini pasta tossed up delicious fresh basil and cashew pesto sauce. An ideal weeknight pasta dinner burstring with fresh herbaceous flavor.
5 from 2 votes
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Chicken + Pasta Cooking Time 30 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
COURSE Dinner
CUISINE Italian
SERVINGS 6

Equipment

skillet, food processor

Ingredients
  

  • 6 cups Fresh Basil Leaves - or about 3 to 4 good bunches of basil
  • 1/2 cup Roasted Salted Cashews
  • 2 large cloves Garlic - smashed and tossed in
  • 1/2 tsp Coarse Sea Salt + Ground Pepper - plus more for seasoning chicken
  • 3/4 cup Olive Oil - plus more for cooking chicken
  • 1/3 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
  • 1 box Your favorite Short Pasta Such as Rotrini - I used rotini, penne is also nice
  • 1 pack Chicken Breast or Chicken Tenderloin - Cubed into 1 inch cubes

Instructions
 

  • Cook a box of your favorite short pasta, to an 'al dente' texture. Soft on the oustide but with a little bite still on the inside. Strain pasta and set aside. I used rotini. In a medium bowl, tossed cubed chicken with light pinches of salt and pepper.
  • In a hot skillet, drizzle some olive oil and cook your cubed chicken until browned on the outside and cooked through on the inside, about 8 to 10 minutes.  Add the chicken in batches, if necessary, so as not to overcrowd the pan. Remove the skillet with the chicken from the heat when finished and set aside.
  • In a food processor, add cashew nuts, 2 smashed garlic, and parmesan cheese. Put the lid on and pulse until it reaches a moist sandy texture. Now remove the lid add in your fresh basil leaves. Put the lid back on and with the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil. Continue pulsing until mixture turns bright/creamy green and everything is evenly combined. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Add cooked pasta to the skillet with the cooked chicken cubes. Now pour the fresh basil cashew pesto mixture over the pasta and chicken into the same skillet. Stir everything together to combine. The ripples and ridges in the rotini pasta will grab onto the sauce helping it to combine nicely.
  • Finish by garnish with fresh basil leaves, some toasted cashews over the top, and some more grated parmesan. Serve immediately.
  • Keep in an air-tight container and finish within the next 2 days or so.

Notes

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KEYWORD pesto, pasta, basil pesto, easy pesto pasta with chicken, easy chicken pasta dinner, easy weeknight dinner, easy basil pesto, cashew pesto, cashew recipes
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