Linguine Pesto with Italian Chicken Strips
This dish came together by chance one night when I was scrambling to get a meal together. It's one of the best pasta entrees I make and is incredibly fast and tasty!
This dish came together by chance one night when I was scrambling to get a meal together. It's one of the best pasta entrees I make and is incredibly fast and tasty!
- Carbohydrate 46.5879930533484 g
- Cholesterol 73.6229249495256 mg
- Fat 12.4789927001141 g
- Fiber 1.36062174727367 g
- Protein 16.8324525706588 g
- Saturated Fat 6.87298975473624 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (170g)
- Sodium 451.734447671357 mg
- Sugar 45.2273713060748 g
- Trans Fat 1.07189858198841 g
- Calories 364 calories
Step-by-step
- Cook linguine according to package directions; drain.
- Add the chicken, cheese, corn, pesto, bread crumbs, red pepper flakes and pepper.
- Toss to coat.
Swapping the prepared pesto for a dairy-free walnut or parsley alternative shifts the entire lipid profile of the dish, removing the saturated fats from Parmesan while retaining the emulsifying quality necessary to coat the pasta. Standard linguine contains durum wheat semolina, but pulse-based pastas made from red lentils or chickpeas provide a structural substitution that increases fiber content significantly. Boiling these alternative strands requires watching the pot closely during the final two minutes of the package window, because legume-based noodles release starches rapidly and turn mushy past the al dente threshold. For those avoiding poultry, firm pressed tofu sliced into thin batons and seared in olive oil at medium-high heat for four minutes per side absorbs the garlic and herb notes of the commercial chicken strips remarkably well. Sharp cheddar cheese brings a distinct pungency due to aging, yet a sharp aged sheep milk pecorino provides an equally pungent melting property without requiring cow dairy solids. Thawing frozen corn completely in a colander under cold running water prevents excess moisture from diluting the oil-based pesto sauce when tossed together in the warm pasta pot. Leftovers store safely in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days, though starches will continue to absorb moisture over that storage window. Reheating works best in a skillet over medium-low heat with one tablespoon of water added to restore the emulsion of the sauce, rather than a microwave which tends to toughen the pre-cooked chicken proteins.
