Spinach & toasted pumpkin seed pesto pasta

Name: Spinach & toasted pumpkin seed pesto pasta
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 2 large skinless boneless chicken breast halves; 1 lemon juice; 3 Tbsps chicken fat; 6 servings oregano; 90 g baby spinach leaves; 1 lemon peel; 72 ml olive oil; 3 green onions; 2 cloves garlic; 64 g pumpkin seeds; 3 Tbs parsley; 6 servings black pepper; 453.59 g pasta; 3 parmigiano reggiano

A flavorful spinach and toasted pumpkin seed pesto pasta recipe that serves 6, covering 26% of your daily requirements of vitamins and minerals. This dish is suitable for vegetarians and a great option for a hearty main course, perfect for a cozy weeknight meal or a holiday dinner party.

Ingredients

skinless boneless chicken breast halves

2 large

lemon juice

chicken fat

3 Tbsps

oregano

6 servings

baby spinach leaves

90 g

lemon peel

olive oil

72 ml

green onions

garlic

2 cloves

pumpkin seeds

64 g

parsley

3 Tbs

black pepper

6 servings

pasta

453.59 g

parmigiano reggiano

Method

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.
While pasta is cooking, prepare the rest of the components simultaneously.
Start by heating the cooking fat in a skillet over medium heat.
Sprinkle chicken breast halves with salt, pepper and dry oregano all over.
Place chicken in heated oil and cook on both sides for a short time (1 minute each).
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.
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.
Now you are ready to prepare pesto.
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.
Slice or dice cooked chicken breasts.
Assemble your dish in serving bowls: pasta, chicken, pesto, pumpkin seed sprinkle and shaved or grated parmesan.
Now inhale deeply and try to say Spinach & Pumpkin Seed Pesto Chicken Pasta Bowl three times in a row fast. That's it!

Nutrition:

565 kcal

Carbs

60 g

Fat

26 g

Protein

22 g

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