Penne with Chicken and Pesto
I sometimes substitute chicken broth for half the heavy cream called for in the recipe to reduce calories. I also use additional Parmesan.
I sometimes substitute chicken broth for half the heavy cream called for in the recipe to reduce calories. I also use additional Parmesan.
- 1 clove garlic minced
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 (16 ounce) package penne pasta
- 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into thin str
- 1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons pesto
- 1 tablespoon and 1-1/2 teaspoons grated parmesan cheese
- Carbohydrate 0.207689062500456 g
- Cholesterol 3.81289062663513 mg
- Fat 1.86343515704778 g
- Fiber 0.0131249994039536 g
- Protein 0.0548242187564644 g
- Saturated Fat 0.969788125415647 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (3g)
- Sodium 19.5397591189676 mg
- Sugar 0.194564063096503 g
- Trans Fat 0.113063906298082 g
- Calories 17 calories
Step-by-step
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
- Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute chicken and garlic until chicken is almost cooked. Reduce heat and stir in salt, pepper, cream, pesto and Parmesan cheese. Cook until chicken is no longer pink inside. Stir in cooked pasta.
Vivid green pesto coats the ridged surface of tubular penne while a glossy, cream-enriched sauce clings tightly to pan-seared strips of poultry. Doubling this specific formulation in a standard twelve-inch skillet frequently leads to steamed meat rather than properly browned protein because moisture becomes trapped in too-crowded quarters. Batch cooking prevents this unwanted liquid accumulation by maintaining the necessary radiant heat along the pan base. When substituting chicken broth for half of the heavy cream to lighten the dish, maintain a gentle simmer for four to five minutes to reduce the extra liquid before introducing the cheese, otherwise the sauce will separate into an oily film. Utilizing jarred paste introduces shelf-stabilized oils and concentrated preservatives that taste distinctly sharper than fresh basil leaves pounded with pine nuts and extra virgin olive oil, requiring a careful adjustment of added salt at the end of cooking. Keep the boiling water at a rolling boil and salt it adequately so the interior of the pasta starch cooks evenly alongside the exterior without turning gummy.
