Cilantro-Serrano Pesto with Grilled Chicken and Penne

This pesto incorporates ingredients Disbrowe finds on the ranch: cilantro and pecans. Cotija is an aged Mexican cheese available in many supermarkets and in any Latin grocery. Substitute Parmesan if you can't find cotija. If the sauce is too thick, loosen it with a little hot cooking water from the pasta.

Yield: 6 cups (serving size: 1 cup)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2  cups  fresh cilantro
• 1/2  cup  fresh mint
• 1/2  cup  cotija cheese
• 3  tablespoons  toasted pecan halves
• 1  teaspoon  kosher salt
• 2  garlic cloves
• 1  serrano chile, seeded and sliced
• 2  tablespoons  extravirgin olive oil
• 2  teaspoons  sherry vinegar
• 1/8  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4  pound  boneless, skinless chicken breast
• Cooking spray
• 6  cups  hot cooked penne pasta (about 3 ounces uncooked)
• 2  cups  cherry tomatoes, halved

Preparation

Place cilantro and next 6 ingredients (through chile) in a food processor; process until well blended. With processor on, slowly pour oil through food chute; process until well blended. Place pesto in a large bowl; stir in vinegar and black pepper.

Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat chicken with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; cook 5 minutes on each side or until done. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add chicken, pasta, and tomatoes to pesto; toss to combine.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

429 (29% from fat)

Fat:

13.8g (sat 3.5g,mono 6.5g,poly 1.9g)

Protein:

28.2g

Carbohydrate:

47.1g

Fiber:

2.4g

Cholesterol:

60mg

Iron:

11.5mg

Sodium:

492mg

Calcium:

104mg