Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad | Recipes | Roland Foods

Ingredients

• 1 pound chicken breast cutlets
• 4 tablespoons Roland® Olive Oil
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 4 tablespoons lemon juice
• Fresh basil, to garnish
• 1 pound cavatappi pasta (cooked in heavily salted water)
• 1 pound chicken (cut into pieces)
• 6-8 ounces Roland® Basil Pesto
• 14 ounces Roland® Red Pepper Strips , cut into small pieces
• 10 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 8 ounces mozzarella pearls
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Prep the chicken by drying with paper towels, cutting them in half, and tenderizing with a meat mallet. Heat a grill pan or a large skillet over medium-high heat
• Prepare the pasta in a large pot with heavily salted water. Cook for the suggested cooking time until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water, drain, and set aside
• Add the chicken to the hot grill pan, top with a spoonful of the marinade, and grill for 2-3 minutes on one side before flipping over
• Cook for an additional 3-4 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Let your cooked chicken rest for 5-10 minutes to seal in the juices, then cut into bite-sized pieces
• In a large bowl, add the cooked pasta, tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, red peppers, and chicken
• Mix the ingredients well and then add basil strips, salt, fresh parmesan, pepper, and basil pesto. With a rubber spatula, combine all of the ingredients together
• In a serving dish, top with a little extra pesto, freshly grated parmesan, fresh basil leaves, salt, and pepper, and enjoy!