This light pasta dinner wont bog you down. Chicken roasted and slathered in creamy sun-dried tomato pesto sauce is sliced over top a creamy and zesty lemon and spinach penne pasta! It's as easy as 1, 2, 3 !
The quantities provided above are averages only.
Produced in a facility that processes milk, sesame, eggs, fish, shellfish, crustaceans, mustard, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybean and sulphites.
680 g
Chicken Breasts
340 g
Penne
(Contains Wheat)
⅓ cup
Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
(Contains Milk)
113 g
Green Peas
113 g
Baby Spinach
¼ cup
Parmesan Cheese, shredded
(Contains Milk)
6 tbsp
Sour Cream
(Contains Milk)
1 unit
Lemon
tbsp
Salt*
tsp
Oil*
Preheat your broiler to high (to broil the chicken).
Wash and dry all produce.* In a large pot, add 10 1/2 cups water and 2 tsp salt. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, zest, then juice half the lemon. Cut the remaining lemon half into wedges. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper.
Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add 1 tbsp oil, then the chicken. Sear until golden-brown, 3-4 min per side. (It’s okay if it doesn't cook all the way through at this step!) Meanwhile, add the penne to the boiling water. Cook until tender, 10-12 min.
When the chicken is golden-brown, remove the pan from the heat and transfer chicken to a foil-lined baking sheet. Brush the tops of each chicken with half the pesto. Broil the chicken in the centre of the oven until tops are golden-brown and chicken is cooked through, 4-6 min. (TIP: Cook to a min. internal temp. of 74°C/165°F, as size may vary.**)
When the penne is tender, reserve 1/2 cup water, then add the spinach to the same large pot with the boiling water and penne. Stir together until the spinach wilts 1-2 min. Drain and return the penne and spinach to the same large pot.
Heat the same pot over medium heat. Add the peas, sour cream, lemon zest, pasta water, 1 tbsp lemon juice and remaining pesto. Cook, stirring together, until warmed through and a sauce forms, 2-3 min. Season with salt and pepper.
Thinly slice the chicken. Divide the pasta between bowls and top with the chicken. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and squeeze over a lemon wedge, if desired.