This pesto pasta salad is a little dose of sunshine in the winter. Fresh mozzarella and sautéed chicken makes it supremely hearty. I highly recommend using fresh Parmesan in this recipe, as its sweet-salty notes will make the dish sing.
Course Entree
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 10minutes
Cook Time 10minutes
Total Time 20minutes
Servings 4
Calories 1040kcal
Author Stephanie Stiavetti
Ingredients
1/2poundfresh mozzarellachopped into 1-inch cubes
Sea salt and freshly-ground black pepperto taste
1boneless, skinless chicken breastcut into 1-inch cubes
1tablespoonextra virgin olive oil
12ouncesspiral pasta
1clovegarliccrushed
1/4cuptoasted walnuts
3tablespoonsgrapeseed oil(or a good, fruity olive oil)
3tablespoonsfreshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2teaspoonlemon juice
1/4teaspoonsalt
1/4teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
2packed cups fresh basil leaves
Instructions
Sprinkle mozzarella lightly with salt and pepper. Toss gently and set aside.
Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add olive oil to a sauté pan and heat over medium-high flame. Cook chicken, tossing occasionally, until cooked through and well browned. Allow to cool.
Prepare pasta according to the directions on the package. Once the pasta has been drained, sprinkle the noodles with a few drops of oil to keep them from sticking. Toss to coat evenly and pour into a large bowl. Add mozzarella and chicken, tossing well to combine.
To a food processor add garlic, nuts, grapeseed oil, Parmesan, lemon juice, salt, an pepper. Pulse a three times. Add basil and pulse until you've got a creamy consistency, scraping down the sides of the food processor as needed.
Pour the pesto into the bowl with the pasta, cheese, and chicken. Toss to mix, being careful to not smash the pasta. Serve immediately.