Chicken Pesto Pasta

To prepare the chicken marinade, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, garlic, and salt and pepper in a bowl. Toss the chicken breasts in the marinade and allow them to marinate for 10 minutes.

While the chicken is marinating, combine the pesto ingredients in a food processor or blender and process/blitz until the pesto reaches the consistency of your liking. If you don’t have either of these appliances, you can make a rustic pesto by roughly chopping the basil and walnuts together and mixing them with the olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and salt.

Heat your grill over medium heat and lightly oil the grates. Once hot, place the cutlets on the grill.

Carefully pour some of the marinades on top of the cutlets or use a basting brush to spread the marinade on top. Grill for 1-2 minutes, then flips the cutlets. Flip them again to make lattice grill marks.

Shut the grill and grill for about 5 minutes, or until your Thermopro instant-read thermometer reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Allow the chicken to rest for 10 minutes before slicing against the grain.

If you do not have a grill, preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Heat an oiled grill pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, place the cutlets on the pan and pour some of the marinades on top or use a basting brush to spread some of the marinades on. Grill for 2 minutes on each side and place in the oven until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.

You can also grill a few tomatoes and red onion slices on the grill. Lightly toss the vegetables in olive oil and lay them on the grill. Grill until nice grill marks have formed on the underside of the vegetables. Watch the tomatoes carefully as they can quickly turn mushy if you overcook them. Feel free to use other vegetables as well, like zucchini rounds.

Boil pasta of your choice based on the box instructions. Drain the pasta and quickly run it under cold water before draining it well. Drizzle the pasta with olive oil and then toss the pasta with ¾ of the pesto.

Plate the pasta and top with sliced chicken breast and any vegetables you grilled. Spoon on the remaining pesto sauce and garnish with chopped basil. Enjoy!