I love using different types of pesto as a sauce for pasta. I’m going to top the pasta with a flavorful grilled chicken. The chicken is marinated in a Greek yogurt flavored with blackened seasoning. This is my Arugula Pesto Bowtie Pasta Topped With Grilled Blackened Chicken.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Yields: 4 servings
Equipment: indoor grill pan, 1 (10-cup food) processor, 1 (6-quart) saucepot, colander, 2 large mixing bowls, Microplane, vegetable peeler, chef’s knife, hand-held juicer, cutting board, meat-safe cutting board

Ingredients for the Blackened Seasoning:
Yields: 7.17 tablespoons (approx. 1/2 cup) of Blackened Seasoning
3 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon of dried thyme
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly-ground
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Ingredients for the Toasted Pine Nuts:
1/3 cup of pine nuts

Ingredients for the Arugula Pesto:
1 (15.5-ounce) can of Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 (12-ounce) jar of roasted Piquillo peppers, drained
2 1/2 cups of baby arugula leaves, washed and dried
1/3 cup of pine nuts, toasted
1 clove of garlic, roughly chopped
1 lemon juiced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly-ground
1/3 cup *E.V.O.O. (may vary slightly)
1/2 cup Pecorino Romano, freshly-grated

Ingredients for the Bowtie Pasta:
1 box (1 pound) of bowtie (Barilla Farfalle) pasta

Ingredients for the Grilled Blackened Chicken:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied and sliced into 2 thinner breasts, yielding 4 to 6 cutlets (depending on their thickness)
2 cups plain Greek Yogurt, whole fat
2 1/2 tablespoons of blackened seasoning
1/4 cup of Italian flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, grated
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon Agave nectar
Garnish:
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, shaved

Instructions for the Blackened Seasoning:
In a small mixing bowl, add all the spices along with the kosher salt and fresh-ground black pepper, and mix to combine. Store in an air-tight container in a cool, dry place.

Instructions for the Toasted Pine Nuts:
In a large dry sauté pan, on medium heat. Add the pine nuts. Shake the pan over the heat until the nuts are fragrant and golden, 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Instructions for the Arugula Pesto:
In a food processor, add the Piquillo peppers and toasted pine nuts. Pulse until puréed, then transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add the Cannellini beans, lemon juice, garlic, kosher salt, fresh-ground black pepper, and arugula. Pulse 3-5 times. Through the feed tube, slowly add the *E.V.O.O. while pulsing. Continue pulsing until it reaches a smooth paste-like consistency. Remove the lid, add the grated cheese, and pulse a few more times just until the cheese is combined. If the pesto needs to be thinned out, add a little more *E.V.O.O. Transfer the bowl containing the Piquillo pepper and pine nuts purée, and stir to combine. Set aside.

Instructions for the Grilled Blackened Chicken:
In a large mixing bowl, add Greek Yogurt, Agave nectar, blackened seasoning, finely chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley, kosher salt, and freshly-grated garlic, and mix to combine. Add the 4 chicken cutlets. Make sure all the chicken cutlets are completely coated with the seasoned yogurt. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Preheat an indoor grill pan on medium-high heat. Using a pair of tongs, remove the cutlets one at a time, allowing the excess marinade to drip before placing them onto the grill pan. Grill the first side for 3-4 minutes, flip the chicken, and grill for another 3 minutes until cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, and slice on the bias.

In a large pot of salted boiling water, drop the pasta. Cook the bowtie pasta according to the box instructions, 10-12 minutes, until al dente. Drain well. Toss the hot pasta with the arugula pesto. Transfer to a large serving bowl.

Top the pasta with the sliced grilled blackened chicken. Garnish with shavings of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Serve hot.

There you have it, my Arugula Pesto Bowtie Pasta Topped With Grilled Blackened Chicken.

Notes:
1) *E.V.O.O. is an acronym for Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

2) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value are important to you, I recommend running the ingredients through the online nutritional calculator of your choice. Calories and values can vary depending on the brands you choose.

https://lindalouhamel.com/2019/07/10/summer-time-flowers-and-herbs/