20 May 2008

Pasta with Pesto and Roasted Chicken for Taste & Create


Pasta With Pesto and Roasted Chicken
This event is one that I try not to miss each and every month. It is the brainchild of Nicole (aka Myamii) over at For the Love of Food . She is a young mom from the States who has been living in Germany for the past 5 years. I love to visit her site for all the delicious recipes as well as tidbits on how to get more traffic to our own blogs. She even has an on-line store with wonderful kitchen gadgets and gourmet foods. If you haven't had the chance to visit please take the time...you will be glad you did.



The premise of the Taste and Create event is simple... we are paired with another blogger... we choose a recipe from their extensive posts...we prepare the dish and then... blog about it. I love this event because I am able to showcase someone else's blog, a favourite dish or just rave about a blogging friend. The blogosphere is filled with delicious recipes that are piling up waiting for me to try. It's time to get some of them out from the blogosphere and into my kitchen!!!! Taste and Create allows me to to do just that each and every month!!! What could be better!

This month I am paired with 2 fellow bloggers for the event. The first of these talented bloggers is Katie at her blog One Little Corner of the World . She is a teacher blogging from the States... in Illinois to be exact. I was very pleased to be paired with Katie... we have such similar taste in food. I loved all of her recipes so if you haven't had a chance to visit yet please do!!!! She represents her little corner of the world very well!!!!! You can find her original pasta recipe here .

The only change I made with this pasta dish was to barbecue the marinated chicken and I also added grilled peppers since it is summer and I happened to have some on hand. Another time I would like to add some grilled veggies such as zucchini, onions, eggplant, etc. that are marinated also to make it a full meal deal. My veggie friends could even leave the chicken out and have a delicious meal as well.

The pesto had a refreshing flavour that matched perfectly with the grilled chicken. I loved the slightly garlic flavour of the pesto. This dish made for a perfect lunch with a slice of garlic toast.

**Pasta with Pesto and Roasted Chicken**
( From The Food Network)

Pesto Sauce

2 hefty bunches of basil
1/2 cup pine nuts or 3/4 cup walnuts
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese
Juice of one small lemon
2 cloves garlic, peeled
Kosher salt
About 20 grinds freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Place all ingredients with 1/2 cup oil in blender and blend. Gradually drizzle in remaining 1/4 cup oil until pesto is thick and smooth.

Chicken (Katie's own concoction)

1 -1/2 pounds chicken breasts
1/3 cup olive oil
2 -1/2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
Pasta of your choice ( ziti, shells, something that will hold the pesto)

Cut chicken into strips and place in large bowl with olive oil and seasoning. Coat chicken with mixture and place on sheet pan. Roast in 400 degree oven for 20 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove from oven and let cool. Cut chicken into bite size pieces. Set aside.

Cook desired pasta type. Katiesays, "I prefer a pasta that holds the sauce, like shells or ziti, per package directions. Drain and put back in pot. Combine pasta, pesto, and chicken in pot - stir gently. The hot pasta will warm up the sauce and the chicken."

Serve immediately.

You are reading this post on More Than Burnt Toast at http://morethanburnttoast.blogspot.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author/owner of More Than Burnt Toast. All rights reserved by Valerie Harrison.
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17 comments:

  1. AnonymousMay 20, 2008

    Oh it's lovely. Perfect for summer and just so fresh looking!

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  2. Yes I love this event! Thanks for stopping by my blog... The pasta looks great. I'm still in awe over your Tried & Tested English Muffin Loaf! :)

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  3. Val, if I make a super-nice, over the top comment, do I get to have a chocolate souffle with this? Please!!!

    Pasta shells are great for scooping up sauce...let me go get some vino.

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  4. Pass me the pesto anytime Val...LOVE all the ingredients in this summery dish. Enjoy the sushine!

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  5. I clearly don't get out enough - I only tried pasta with pesto for the first time this past week and now I'm addicted. Thanks for encouraging my addiction.

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  6. nice choice! although i love a good bolognese, pesto is definitely a contender for my favorite pasta sauce. looks scrumptious!

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  7. Noble: I agree
    Arundathi: The English Muffin loaves my sister and I have made since we were kids
    Peter: These shells were huge!!!!!If you lived closer I would make you all the chocolate souffles you like
    Peter: I am definitely enjoying our Okanagan sunshine
    Gix: Pesto makes a lovely tortellini salad dressing as well
    Grace: I think I just love pasta!!!

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  8. I left a comment/question on the english loaf - we don't cornmeal here in India (believe me I've checked everywhere). Is it ok to leave it out?

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  9. Pesto is one of my favorite summer dishes and yours looks so fresh and delicious, Val! I bet it would be just as good cold, as a salad, too.

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  10. What a beautiful dish you chose to make, bet it's really tasty too!

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  11. I love the combination of pesto, chicken and pasta. It's a favorite.

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  12. MMMMM...I love pesto!!! That looks so good...the pasta, chicken and pesto!

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  13. I have the pesto ready Val...& I like your idea about the peppers. WAY TO GO! I love the flavours on this one...am gonna taste & try soon. BTW, I made my pseto with almonds & it came out GREAT! I'd better stop at Nicoles as well...Cheers

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  14. This looks delicious and like a great summery dish. And shells are simply more fun than other pastas.

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  15. Val, I have to check Taste and Create! Now! As soon as I leave your blog... there I go :D

    The pasta dish is awesome!!!

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  16. Mmmmm!! Sounds great. I'm a big fan of pasta with pesto and grilled chicken. And we love basil pesto. Basil pesto is great as a garnish for grilled salmon steaks too....

    But for pasta with barbecued chicken, our pesto of choice is mint pesto with pecans (no cheese). We usually put my personal favourite, "old bay seasoning" on the chicken before grilling it.

    -Elizabeth

    mint pesto recipe

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  17. I'm still trying to get over that magnificent chocolate creation of yours, I must be having a severe sweet tooth, thats all I can think about!! You know I love pasta and pesto anyway!

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Welcome to my home. Thank you for choosing to stay a while and for sharing our lives through food. I appreciate all your support, comments, suggestions, and daily encouragement.

Val

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