Chicken & Asparagus Skillet Pasta with Pesto

Drescription

Fresh lemon juice, tangy sun-dried tomatoes and zippy pesto tie together the flavors in this quick and easy skillet meal. The 30-minute dinner is so versatile--you can use any quick-cooking protein or vegetable you have on hand and still have a delicious meal on busy weeknights.

Ingredients

• 6 ounces whole-wheat fusilli
• 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• ½ cup julienned sun-dried tomatoes (not oil-packed)
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large shallot, halved lengthwise and sliced
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
• ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
• ½ cup prepared pesto
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• grated parmesan cheese for garnish

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 3 minutes less than the package directions. Add asparagus and sun-dried tomatoes and continue cooking until just tender, 3 minutes more. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallot and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add chicken, salt and pepper and continue cooking and stirring until the chicken is just cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Reduce heat to medium; stir in broth and pesto and cook until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Add the pasta and vegetables to the skillet and toss to coat. Cook, stirring, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes more. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Garnish with Parmesan, if desired.