Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta with Spinach & Blackened Chicken
As much as I would have loved to just eat my sun-dried tomato pesto out of the jar, I thought it be best if I added some protein to my meal. Any while I’m at it, why not a good dose of carbs too? All of those miles I’m racking up surely call for a little pasta now and then, right?
I’ve mentioned before that I don’t eat a lot of meat but I can’t even tell you how much my body is craving protein right now. A couple of months ago, I probably would have smothered the pasta with the pesto, added the spinach and called it dinner.
And did you know it’s so simple to blacken chicken? It’s totally been calling my name. The spices – you probably have most of them in your pantry right now. They created an amazing crust on the chicken that I swear held in every little drop of moisture. This chicken cut like butter!
I loved how simple this meal came together, and how elegant it felt on my plate. I loved the pop of green from the spinach and the blackening spices complimented the pesto perfectly. Can you tell I loved this pasta? Yeah. We ate this last week. Do you think it’s too soon for another sun-dried tomato pesto pasta meal?
Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta with Spinach & Blackened Chicken
Yield: 4 servings
Total Time: 30 min
This recipe for sun-dried tomato pesto pasta with spinach and blackened chicken makes for a simple, healthy and flavorful weeknight meal.
Ingredients:
12 ounces angel hair pasta
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. smoked paprika
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. black pepper
3 tsp. grapeseed oil, divided
1 shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups fresh spinach
2 cups (1 recipe) sun-dried tomato pesto
1/4 cup water, reserved from the pasta cooking waterDirections:
Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente.
Mix the paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper, onion powder and cumin in a small bowl and rub generously on each piece of chicken.
Heat the grapeseed oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook about 7 minutes on each side or until no longer pink in the center, and the outside seasonings are very fragrant.
Remove from the pan and allow them to rest. Heat the remaining oil in the same pan the chicken was cooked in. Add the shallot and garlic and cook until soft and fragrant. Add the spinach and cook until wilted. Stir in the sun-dried tomato pesto, mixing until combined, adding pasta-cooking water until thinned out. Stir in the cooked pasta. Serve with the cooked chicken.
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My husband requests blackened everything from salmon to swordfish – he would LOVE this!! Yum!
I am craving protein right now like crazy! This looks SO good — especially that pesto! 🙂
I am totally craving this for dinner tonight! Love the combo of the blackened chicken with this pesto, yum!
This pasta looks so good. I need to get my hands on some sun-dried tomatoes ASAP! What a great meal!
Whoa, I totally have everything I need to blacken chicken in my pantry as I read this! #revelation. PS. You deserve every carb that comes your way!
I love blackened anything, chicken or fish! Great way to use up the pesto…
We have something similar quite often but I’ve never thought to blacken the chicken – such a great added flavour!
I must be the lazy “blackening” person…I just buy the blackened seasoning. I wonder how different it tastes when you make your own. The already purchased seems to have a little cajun influence. Sounds amazing though with the pesto!
I am a carb queen – especially when I’m training, but I always try to eat protein WITH my carbs to slow down how quickly the carbs turn to sugar in my system. Basically, I was sold at pasta and intrigued by blackened chicken – smart!!
I’m used to eating blackened catfish so now its time to switch to poultry.
Yum Cassie! I’ve been thinking about that tomato pesto since you first posted it. I think it would be good just smeared on bread, but this looks pretty irresistible.
I love the flavor that “blackening” provides, but I have never known exactly which spices go into it, so thank you for teaching me! This pasta looks like my dreams come true!
Never too soon for such a gorgeous pasta meal. It would fill my needs after a long busy day and I have to eat more meat too, so your sun dried tomato pasta with spinach and chicken goes into my recipe box. Thanks for sharing Cassie!
This looks pretty fantastic!
I love chicken and pasta together! I just want to reach in a swirl a huge bite of that pasta onto my fork!
HOLY YES! I am all over this one – pasta is pretty much my favorite thing ever. It’s tied with pizza 😉
Cassie, that looks absolutely delicious! And I’m still jealous of your real Italian sun dried tomatoes 🙂
WHY have I never made blackened chicken? That looks and sounds awesome! And who knew it was so simple? This is winning.
Once I start eating chicken again, I’m AWWWWWWL about this. Dig, dig, dig.
Mmmmmm….this has my name written all over it! I hope your training is going well!
Yes please, this pasta looks amazing!
Blackened chicken combined with the sun-dried pesto sounds like a winning dish to me!
My lunch is suddenly looking really pitiful…can you send over a plate of this?? Thanks!! 🙂
This looks beautiful! Love, love sundried tomato.
Oh that seriously looks SO good Cassie!! I cut a lot of carbs from my diet this year and I miss pasta oh so much. What a perfect dinner for summer!
This looks amazing Cassie! I need a big plate of it right now. And the rest of the sun dried tomato pesto so I too can eat it by the spoonful. 🙂
Oh my gosh, this pasta is total perfection!! Love it Cassie.
I had no idea how easy it was to make blackened chicken! This is definitely a must for our weeknight menu.
Such a perfect dinner!
Oh my good gracious, this looks delicious!
You are killing me right now. I am trying to limit my carbs (silly I know) and this pasta looks so darn delicious. Maybe I’ll just stick with the blackened chicken and smother that in pesto?
xo Jackie
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhk… I’m obsessed with this! A must for our dinner table!
i had no idea how easy it is to blacken chicken! this looks amazing 🙂
I’m with you Cass – I could eat pesto out of a jar, but I figure that ‘d be weird to most people – so this looks divine!!
I live for simple, flavorful, easy meals like this! So delicious, Cassie!
goodness, this plate of pasta looks just perfect!! i really want a plate for lunch right now 🙂
DYING over this! Everything sounds so dang good!
This sounds amazing!
What I would give for a giant bowl of this for dinner! YUM!!!
Oh, this sounds crazy good – the blackened chicken sounds incredible, I love the idea of that with this pesto!
Ooo!! I don’t know that I would have thought to combine cajun/blackened flavors with pesto but it’s kind of genius actually!
The crust on the chicken sounds like a great way to spice up grilled chicken. And with sundried tomato pesto? Sold.
There is nothing about this that I don’t love!
Oh my, the blackened chicken looks perfect and I have to make your pesto first and then make this pasta! I’m really craving for this imagining all the flavors in the pasta. I love sun dried tomatoes – maybe love is understated – I’m really crazy about them. I can’t wait to give this a try, Cassie!
Cassie, I just adore blackened everything, too. And, I could probably eat your sun-dried tomato pesto from the jar by spoon as well. Very tasty recipe, girl! xo
I just had breakfast, but now I’m SO ready for dinner!
This look absolutely mouth watering. Ive never tried to blacken chicken. I will have to give this recipe a try. Thank you!
Ohhh yes..this is calling my name too!!!! love me some Blackened chicken!
This sounds so good Cassie… and the blackened chicken?! goood lawd! PS I’m a lovah of sun-dried tomato pesto too… totally could eat it by the spoonful!
Sounds delicious Cassie!
This looks fantastic! I love summery pasta dishes like this.
So pretty! The chicken spices sound perfect for with the pesto.
A great summer dinner! Have a good weekend Cassie!
Yum! This looks fantastic, Cassie! Love the flavors!
Oh yes! I absolutely love this recipe 🙂 sun dried tomatoes are amazing!
Good Lord, that pasta looks good. I’ve been craving some good red sauce and this hits the spot!
Best,
Anne
Mmmm, pesto! And that blackened chicken looks SO righteous.
Delicious!
Sundried tomatoes are one of my favs! I bet this pasta is amazing being completely covered in them!!
You don’t have the pasta added in your ingredients. What kind and how much did you use?
Cassie replied: — August 19th, 2013 @ 7:26 pm
Oh no! Thanks for bringing that to my attention. My rule of thumb is to use 3-4 ounces per person…for this one, serving 4 people, I used one pound of linguine noodles, but you could use any pasta you have on hand.
Enjoy!
I just have to say how wonderful this recipe is! I am not a big cooker, I was never really good at it. But I made this recipe for the husband and I, we both raved about it. It is just so delicious! Thank you so much. I have been on a sun-dried tomato kick lately and so glad I found this.
Cassie replied: — December 19th, 2013 @ 7:39 am
I’m so glad it was such a success, Briana. I think I need to make this one again, we loved it too!
Mmmm…craving this now!
Made this a few nights ago, it was fantastic! I ‘sun dried’ my own tomatoes low and slow in the oven though. Tonight I’m making it again w the jarred sundried tomatoes. Love this recipe, it’s definitely going into our rotation! Thank you