Pretty Girls' Pasta Salad | Recipe Saver

Ingredients

• ***For the lemon-basil pesto:***
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1/2 lemon, zested and juiced
• 1/4 cup parmesan, finely grated
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts
• kosher salt, to taste
• ground black pepper, to taste
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• ***For the pasta salad:***
• 8 ounces short pasta, such as cavatappi
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced into 3-4 flat planks
• 1 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick strips
• 8 ounces cherry tomatoes
• 4 chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
• 4 ounces fresh mozzarella pearls
• fresh basil leaves, to taste, for garnish