Chicken with Arugula Pesto & Orecchiette
Bright, peppery, and bursting with freshness—this arugula pesto adds a bold twist to juicy broiled chicken and tender orecchiette pasta. It’s a quick, wholesome meal that tastes like it came straight from your favorite café kitchen.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
For the chicken:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp olive oil
For the arugula pesto:
2 cups fresh arugula
½ cup fresh parsley
¼ cup toasted almonds
½ cup grated Parmesan
1 clove garlic
⅓ cup olive oil
Juice of ½ lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
To serve:
12 oz orecchiette pasta, cooked
Extra Parmesan and arugula for garnish
Instructions
Broil chicken: Preheat broiler. Season chicken with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil, and broil for 5–6 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Let rest, then slice.
Make pesto: In a food processor, blend arugula, parsley, almonds, Parmesan, and garlic. Slowly add olive oil and lemon juice until smooth. Season to taste.
Toss & serve: Mix cooked orecchiette with pesto. Top with sliced chicken, extra Parmesan, and a handful of fresh arugula.
Nutrition
- Calories: 520
- Fat: 28g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 36g