If you want an easy but impressive meal, this Pesto Chicken Parmigiana with Pesto Pasta is exactly what you need. The chicken breasts are pounded thin and coated for a nice crunch, then topped with melted mozzarella and fresh pesto. The pasta tossed in the same sauce rounds it out with carbs for energy.
Tips:
- Pounding the chicken thin ensures quick, even cooking.
- Don’t skip reserving pasta water — it’s the secret to a luscious sauce.
- Toast your pine nuts for extra flavour in the pesto.
- Use fresh mozzarella for the best melt and texture.
Pesto Chicken Parmigiana with Pesto Pasta
4
servings20
minutes40
minutesIngredients
1 zucchini, thinly sliced
- For the Chicken:
500g chicken breast, sliced in half horizontally and pounded thin
1 cup plain flour
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1 egg, lightly beaten
Olive oil, for frying
1 ball of mozzarella, sliced
Salt and pepper, to taste
- For the Pasta:
225g pasta of your choice
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
Reserved pasta water (about 1 cup)
- For the Pesto (makes about 1 cup):
2 cups fresh basil leaves, tightly packed
½ cup grated Parmesan
2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
1 small garlic clove
1/2 cup olive oil
Juice of ½ lemon
Salt, to taste
Directions
- In a food processor, blitz together basil, Parmesan, pine nuts, garlic, and lemon juice until roughly combined. With the motor running, slowly stream in the olive oil until smooth. Season with salt to taste. Set aside.
- Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until just al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water before draining.
- Heat a splash of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the sliced zucchini and cook until soft and slightly golden, about 4–5 minutes. Set aside.
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Dip each piece into flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs mixed with parsley, pressing gently to coat.
- Heat a generous splash of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Cook chicken for 3–4 minutes each side or until golden and cooked through. Drain on paper towel.
- Spoon a little of the pesto sauce over each cooked chicken piece and top with slices of mozzarella. Transfer to an oven-safe tray and place under the grill for 3–5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
- In a large pan, add the cooked pasta and the remaining pesto. Toss to coat, adding a splash of reserved pasta water as needed to create a silky sauce. Add the cooked zucchini and stir through. Finish with grated parmesan.
- Plate up your pesto pasta and top with a piece of cheesy pesto chicken. Finish with a final grating of Parmesan.
