Not all pestos are made with pine nuts. Those with pine nuts come from Italy. This variation, sans pine nuts, has origins in Provence, France, where it is known as Pistou. Without the pine nuts it is much lighter than traditional pestos but I think you’ll find that you don’t miss the pine nuts at all because the intensely fresh flavors of the basil, garlic and parmesan cheese are still present. Like pesto, the sauce goes a long way and you can freeze any leftovers. About half of a batch of pistou makes enough pasta to easily feed four people.
PrintChicken Pistou Pasta
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
This French Chicken Pistou Pasta features a vibrant pistou sauce made without pine nuts, offering a lighter yet intensely flavorful twist on traditional pesto.
Ingredients
Pistou {Courtesy of Cooking Light}
- 4 cups (160g) basil leaves
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup (59mL) chicken broth
- 1 Tbsp (11g) grated parmesan cheese
- 1 Tbsp (13,5g) olive oil
Pasta
- Roughly one half of a batch of Pistou, to taste
- 3-4 lean chicken thighs, trimmed of all excess fat or 2-3 chicken breasts
- 2 cups (232g) conchiglie pasta, cooked
- Parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 tsp (9g) olive oil
Instructions
- To make the pistou, combine the basil leaves, garlic cloves, chicken broth, parmesan cheese, and olive oil in a blender. Blend until smooth. Store any leftover sauce in a sealed container in the refrigerator or freezer.
- Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Heat a skillet over medium heat and cook the chicken thighs for about 6-8 minutes on each side, or until fully cooked and golden brown. Remove from the skillet and let rest before slicing.
- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and reserve some pasta water.
- Toss the cooked pasta with the pistou sauce, adding reserved pasta water as needed to reach desired consistency.
- Slice the cooked chicken and serve it over the pasta. Garnish with additional parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
Pistou can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer for later use. This dish is perfect for a light summer meal. You can substitute chicken thighs with chicken breast if preferred. Use any pasta shape that holds sauce well.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 400
- Fat: 18
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 30
- Cholesterol: 80
