Creamy Basil Pesto Sauce with Peas and Chicken

Dinner 5.15.2013: Creamy Basil Pesto Sauce with Peas and Chicken

Creamy Basil Pesto Sauce with Peas and Chicken

It may seem unusual to combine basil pesto with peas, but it is truly delicious when combined with cream and lemon. This is also a great sauce to combine with leftover roast chicken - like I did.

Basil Pesto (olive oil, 1 garlic clove, handful fresh basil leafs with stems, juice from 1/2 small lemon, kosher salt to taste) - combine ingredients in a small food processor and blend until smooth. Add just enough olive oil for all the ingredients to come together. Set aside.

Creamy Basil Pesto Sauce with Peas
Add pasta to salted, boiling water at the time when adding lemon slices to sauce pan and timing will be spot on.

• olive oil - sweat onions in a heavy sauce pan until translucent
• 1/4 red onion, small dice
• kosher salt
• 3 thin lemon slices - add and cook for another minute
• ~1/2 - 3/4 cup heavy cream - add cream, and gently simmer until slightly thickened
• cup ~1/2 starchy pasta water - add water, continue to gently simmer until slightly reduced; remove lemon slices
• basil pesto - add, stir
• ~3/4 cup frozen peas - add peas, stir, heat for one minute
• 1 pre-cooked chicken breast, shredded - add chicken, heat through. If the sauce seems too thick simply add a little more starchy pasta water.
• kosher salt - adjust seasoning
• 1-2 tbs grated parmesan - turn off heat, add, stir until combined
• grated parmesan - serve over pasta and garnish with parmesan and basil
• basil chiffonad

Enjoy.

Creamy Basil Pesto Sauce with Peas and Chicken