754- Chicken Pesto Pasta / معكرونة البيني بالدجاج وصلصة البيستو

Ingredients :

For the pasta:
250 grams (17.6 oz.)Panzani penne pasta
Salt
Water

For the chicken:
250 grams (8.8 oz.) chicken breast
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 garlic clove, grated
Salt and pepper, to taste

For Pesto sauce:
35 grams (1 cup) fresh basil
35 grams (1 oz.) parmesan cheese, grated
7 walnut halves
2 garlic cloves, peeled
118 milliliters (1/2 cup) olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the veggies:
200 grams (7 oz.) broccoli, cut into small florets
1 medium red pepper, cut into small cubes
2 medium zucchini, cut into slices
1 garlic clove, grated
2 tablespoons olive oil
500 milliliters (2 cups) whole milk
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon chopped chives
salt and pepper, to taste

For garnish:
50 grams parmesan cheese, grated
Fresh basil leaves

Directions :

Step 1: Preparing the pasta
1- In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the penne pasta for about 8 to 10 minutes. Once ready, drain and set aside.

Step 2: Preparing the chicken
2- In a large pan, add the olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add the chicken breast, ginger, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and cook on each side for 5 minutes until golden brown. Set aside.

Step 3: Preparing the pesto sauce
3- In a food processor, add the basil leaves, parmesan cheese, walnut halves, garlic cloves, salt and pepper.
4- Drizzle the olive oil into the mixture and process until blended.
5- Transfer the pesto sauce to a glass container and refrigerate until ready to use.

Step 4: Preparing the vegetable sauce
6- In a saucepan over medium heat, boil some water with a pinch of salt, and cook the broccoli for 6 minutes. The broccoli should be lightly tender when tested with a fork.
7- Sieve the broccoli from water, place it in a large bowl, and set aside.
8- In a large pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir constantly using a spatula for 30 secondes. Add the red pepper, zucchini, broccoli florets, chives, salt and pepper, and cook for another 3 minutes until they begin to soften.
9- In a large bowl, whisk together milk and cornstarch until well combined. Pour the milk mixture over the cooked vegetables, cook and stir constantly until the sauce thickens.
10- Add 4 tablespoons of pesto sauce into the creamy sauce with vegetables and stir until well combined. Pour the sauce over the penne pasta and gently mix until it is completely coated.
11- Slice the chicken breast into strips and top over the pasta. Garnish with parmesan cheese and fresh basil if desired. You can serve the pasta with pesto sauce or it can be kept in the fridge for up to two weeks.