Lemon Pesto Cream Chicken Pasta
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così cremoso e delizioso!
Greenpan is hands-down the best non-stick pan I've ever used. (It even beats out some of the cookware that I have that are very pricey). Greenpan is affordable, non-toxic, & durable. I use it everyday. I'm always able to cook with half the amount of oil or more.
This dish is makes 4 servings
For the "pasta"
- 1 medium sized spaghetti squash
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
Preheat your oven to 400 & line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Slice your spaghetti squash into rings, drizzle with olive oil on both sides, & sprinkle with salt & pepper. Roast the squash for 30 minutes, flipping the rings halfway.
Let the rings cool, then use a fork to scoop out the spaghetti strands.
For the cashew cream:
- 2 cups boiled water
- 2 cups raw cashews
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1-1/2 tsp salt
- 1 lemon, juiced
Place 2 cups of raw cashews in a large bowl. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil, pour it into the bowl with cashews, & let it soak for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, drain the cashews, but reserve 1-1/2 cups of the liquid. Add your soaked cashews, garlic, nutritional yeast, 3/4 cup of the reserved fluid, salt, & lemon juice to a blender & blend on high speed for 2 minutes until smooth. You want the sauce to be thick enough to coat the spoon, but still drip off of it easily. If your cashew cream is too thick, add 2 tbsp of the reserved fluid at a time & blend until you get the right consistency.
For the pesto:
- 1/4 cup pistachios
- 1 handful of arugula (can also sub kale/swiss chard)
- 1 handful of fresh basil
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1/4 cup EVOO
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1 dash of salt
Toast the pistachios on a pan for 2-3 minutes, just until lightly browned. In a food processor, add the remaining ingredients & pulse until everything is well-combined.
Make the chicken & pesto cream sauce:
- about 1 pound of chicken breast, butterflied, then cut into strips
- 1 tbsp ghee
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 small shallot, finely chopped
Add the ghee to a large pan. Once it's melted, add the shallots & garlic then saute until fragrant, about 1 minute on medium heat. Add the sliced chicken & dried herbs to the pan & cook for about 8-10 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan, but leave the liquid. Add the cashew cream to the pan, then add your pesto in batches. Continue to mix the cashew cream & pesto until well combined.
Now it's time to plate!
Place your "noodles" on a plate, then layer in the sauce & chicken. Serve it up with roasted or sauteed veggies of your choice & enjoy!
Buon appetito!
