Chicken Pesto Parmesan Pasta Skillet
Cook this mouthwatering Chicken Pesto Parmesan Pasta Skillet following these simple steps.
Cook this mouthwatering Chicken Pesto Parmesan Pasta Skillet following these simple steps.
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup skim milk
- 3 tablespoons pine nuts
- 3/4 cup fresh basil leaves
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 8 oz uncooked bowtie pasta (i used barilla farfalle)
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2 cups fresh broccoli florets
- 1 cup chopped zucchini
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 8 oz cooked boneless skinless chicken breast, sliced or chopped into bite size pieces
- 4 oz finely shredded parmesan cheese
- Carbohydrate 6.43691402888345 g
- Cholesterol 0.816666666666667 mg
- Fat 2.01311722578805 g
- Fiber 1.49934441739544 g
- Protein 3.41640750086305 g
- Saturated Fat 0.195071389144178 g
- Serving Size 1 1 (1 1/4 cup) serving (246g)
- Sodium 46.1239305578777 mg
- Sugar 4.93756961148802 g
- Trans Fat 0.382494556111281 g
- Calories 53 calories
Step-by-step
- Place the pine nuts in a large saute pan or deep skillet and bring over medium heat.
- Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally until pine nuts start to look golden/toasted.
- Remove the pine nuts from heat.
- Combine 2 tablespoons of the toasted pine nuts (reserve one for topping) with the basil, garlic and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor and grind it until a pesto paste forms and everything is finely minced and combined.
- Set aside.
- Place the dry pasta in the same large saute pan or deep skillet from step one and pour in the water and milk.
- Stir in the salt and top with the broccoli, zucchini and peas.
- Turn the heat on to medium and stay by the stove, stirring occasionally and watching closely for the contents to begin to simmer.
- When you see the liquid start to simmer, reduce the heat to low.
- Cook the mixture on low, stirring every couple minutes, for 13-16 minutes until the liquid is mostly absorbed (pasta and veggies will be cooked).
- Add the cooked chicken pieces and the pesto from step two and stir in until well combined.
- Cook for another 1-2 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in almost all of the shredded Parmesan (I like to reserve a tiny pile for topping).
- Cover the pan with a lid for 2-3 minutes until the cheese is melted and then stir until well combined and cheesy.
- Top each serving with a sprinkle of the reserved Parmesan and ½ teaspoon of the reserved pine nuts.
Fresh basil leaves do the heaviest lifting in this dish, dictating both the vibrancy of the final sauce and the precise moment you must pull your pine nuts from the heat. Toasting those nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat unlocks natural oils that emulsify with the minced garlic and lemon juice, transforming raw herbs into a cohesive paste before any dairy enters the pan. When building a skillet meal where dry pasta cooks directly in a mixture of water and milk, starch released from the boiling farfalle thickens the cooking liquid into a velvety sauce while the vegetables steam on top.
Managing dairy in a skillet demands constant attention because high heat causes milk proteins to curdle and separate long before the pasta absorbs the surrounding liquid. Keeping the burner at a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil prevents scorching while ensuring the broccoli florets and chopped zucchini retain their structural integrity instead of turning to mush. Stirring every couple of minutes distributes the released starches evenly, preventing the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pan during the critical 13 to 16 minutes of absorption.
Adapting this dish to what is currently in your refrigerator requires only basic math and adherence to moisture levels. Hard root vegetables like carrots must be cut much smaller than broccoli florets to cook through within the same timeframe, whereas watery squash needs a prior salt-draw to avoid diluting the pesto. Folding the shredded Parmesan cheese into the residual heat off the burner creates a smooth finish without breaking the dairy fat.
