Chicken and Broccoli with Basil Spinach Pesto Bowties

Start out by trimming any excess fat off the chicken breasts. Between two pieces of plastic wrap, pound out the chicken until it is about 1/2 inch thick. Season both sides with salt and pepper. (Pounding out the chicken cuts down the cooking time.)

For the noodles, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook according to the directions on the package. (Usually 8-9 minutes). Once they are finished, drain the pasta water, rinse the noodles and set aside.

On medium-high heat, put 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pan. Once the pan is hot, add the chicken breasts, and cook for 15 minutes, turning them over halfway through. Chicken will get crispy and brown on the outside. When it is done, remove from the pan and place on a cutting board to rest. Let them rest about 5 minutes, then slice lengthwise.

Turn down the heat to medium and add 1 tbsp of olive oil to the same pan the you cooked the chicken. Add the broccoli florets. Sautee for 2 minutes and add 1/4 cup of the chicken broth to the pan. Cover with a lid, and cook the broccoli for an additional 2 minutes. Remove the lid, and add the red onion. The chicken broth will have dried up. Sautee the onions for about 1 minute, and add the remaining chicken broth. Cook until the onions have softened, another 2-3 minutes.

Add the noodles, chicken, and pesto to the pan and toss everything together until the pesto is well coated over the ingredients in the pan. Mix the cheeses in with the pasta, remove from the heat and serve. 

In a food processor, add the basil, spinach, parmesan cheese, chopped walnuts, garlic, lemon juice and salt. 

Start pulsing the pesto on the lowest setting. As it is breaking down, slowly add in the olive oil. Pulse for a few minutes until it is nice and smooth. Taste, and adjust seasonings as needed.