Pesto Pasta Salad


I threw this pasta together today with the ingredients I had on hand. It was so yummy, I couldn't help but share. Just after it was made, we ate it warm for a late lunch. Tonight, I'm snacking on the cold leftovers. My point? It makes a tasty warm meal and a great make-ahead salad.

There are no precise measurements for my recipe, only a general idea. Consider it a starting point, and make this dish your own.

Ingredients:
Gluten Free Pasta
Chicken {thinly sliced; feel free to omit for a vegan dish}
Onion {I used half of a sweet onion; sliced}
Mushrooms {sliced}
Green Peas
Pesto {I used store-bought vegan pesto, so that it would be free of cheese}

Directions:
Boil pasta, drain, and set aside.
Heat a bit of olive oil in a skillet, and add chicken. Season with salt and pepper, and saute for several minutes.
When the chicken is nearly cooked, add the onion and mushrooms and stir to mix.
When the chicken is done and the onions and mushrooms are tender, add a good-size scoop of green peas. Mine were frozen, so I stirred them in and allowed a minute or two for them to warm.
Add a big scoop of pesto, stirring it into the warm chicken mixture so that it 'melts' and coats the chicken and veggies.
Add cooked pasta, and mix once more.
Serve warm, or tuck it in the fridge for a cold treat later on.

This recipe has been shared at... Allergy Free Wednesdays, Summer Salad Sundays

4 comments:

  1. I love pesto, and there are so many ways to make it, it fun to play around with the greens. Thanks for sharing!

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  2. Pesto is really easy to make... basil, garlic, pine nuts and EVOO, that's it. I'd give you a recipe but I don't have one, I make it by taste. I typically try to fill a blender with basil leaves (no stems and make sure you remove any flower buds if there are any b/c they'll make the pesto bitter), then add 3 or 4 cloves of garlic, a couple handfuls of pine nuts (it's better if you toast them first, but still yummy untoasted), 1/2 tsp sea salt and then drizzle enough EVOO in to make the blender move smoothly. That's it. I make large batches (it's hubby's fav!) and store them in the fridge in ball jars w/about 1/4" of EVOO covering the top. Or you can pour it into an ice cube tray, freeze them then wrap them plastic wrap and store in a freezer bag/canister. :)

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  3. I made this as a side dish last night, but I used Procuitto instead of Chicken. It was delicious!!!

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  4. LOVE pesto! So tasty, and livens up any meal. Your salad sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing this with Summer Salad Sundays, look forward to seeing you again soon.

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