chicken and asparagus skillet pasta with pesto

Chicken

Chicken & Asparagus Skillet Pasta with Pesto

Fresh lemon juice, tangy sun-dried tomatoes and zippy pesto tie together the flavors in this quick and easy skillet meal. The 30-minute dinner is so versatile--you can use any quick-cooking protein or vegetable you have on hand and still have a delicious meal on busy weeknights.

Ingredients

6 ounces whole-wheat fusilli
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
½ cup julienned sun-dried tomatoes (not oil-packed)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large shallot, halved lengthwise and sliced
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
½ cup prepared pesto
2 tablespoons lemon juice
grated parmesan cheese for garnish

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 3 minutes less than the package directions. Add asparagus and sun-dried tomatoes and continue cooking until just tender, 3 minutes more. Drain.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallot and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add chicken, salt and pepper and continue cooking and stirring until the chicken is just cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium; stir in broth and pesto and cook until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Add the pasta and vegetables to the skillet and toss to coat. Cook, stirring, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes more. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Garnish with Parmesan, if desired.