Ingredients

  • 2 large chicken breast halves
  • 1 lemon (juice only)
  • 3 tbsp cooking fat (I used rendered chicken fat, but butter or olive oil will do nicely)
  • salt, pepper, dry oregano
  • 3 packed cups baby spinach
  • 1 lemon - juice and zest
  • 1/3 cups (or more) olive oil
  • 3-4 scallions, green serving only
  • 2-3 cloves garlic
  • 1 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
  • 3-4 Tbs chopped parsley
  • salt, pepper
  • 1 lbs colorful pasta, not too small
  • 1/2 tbsp coarse salt for toasting pumpkin seeds
  • 3 shavings of parmesan into each bowl at serving

Ready In 45 Minutes

Servings: 6

Cooking Instructions

Step 1

  • Start by boiling water for pasta in a large pot.
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Step 2

  • Add some salt and olive oil to prevent pasta from sticking. When water is boiling, add pasta, stir, reduce heat to medium and cook until ready (9-12 minutes, depending on pasta type).
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  • Length: 12 minutes

Step 3

  • Drain an set aside.

Step 4

  • While pasta is cooking, prepare the rest of the components simultaneously.
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Step 5

  • Start by heating the cooking fat in a skillet over medium heat.
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Step 6

  • Sprinkle chicken breast halves with salt, pepper and dry oregano all over.
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Step 7

  • Place chicken in heated oil and cook on both sides for a short time (1 minute each).
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  • Length: 1 minutes

Step 8

  • Add juice of 1 lemon to the skillet, reduce heat to medium/low and continue cooking, turning occasionally, until done (about 10 - 12 minutes). Set aside.
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  • Length: 12 minutes

Step 9

  • If toasting pumpkin seeds, put 1/2 tbsp of coarse salt in a small (preferably cast iron) skillet over medium heat.
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Step 10

  • Add pumpkin seeds. Toast seeds for a few minutes, stirring or shaking frequently, until they start to crack and turn golden. Turn off the heat and leave pumpkin seeds in the skillet until cool. When move seeds away from salt before using them. It won't be hard, because they are lighter than coarse salt. Discard the salt.
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Step 11

  • Now you are ready to prepare pesto.
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Step 12

  • Reserve 1-2 tbsp of pumpkin seeds for garnish.
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Step 13

  • Put the remaining pumpkin seeds and the rest of the pesto ingredients in a processor and hit pulse a few times at first, allowing everything to settle. Now turn the processor on and see if pesto is thin enough (consistency of pancake batter). If not, add a little more olive oil and/or lemon juice as you work the pesto.
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Step 14

  • Slice or dice cooked chicken breasts.
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Step 15

  • Assemble your dish in serving bowls: pasta, chicken, pesto, pumpkin seed sprinkle and shaved or grated parmesan.
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Step 16

  • Now inhale deeply and try to say Spinach & Pumpkin Seed Pesto Chicken Pasta Bowl three times in a row fast. That's it!
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