Pesto Chicken Pasta with Brussels sprouts

I love pretty much any dish that incorporates Brussels sprouts... this is a quick and easy pasta recipe that brings sprouts and pesto into the mix!

Servings:  4

Size:  ¼ of pasta dish

Points Plus: 11pp

Level of Difficulty:  Easy

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time:  35 minutes

Rating: 4 stars – Very good

Ingredient List:

1 lb. Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. black pepper

1 lb. chicken breast, skinless, boneless

12 oz. pasta, farfalle or orchecchiette (both work well for this recipe)

¹/₃ cup pesto

¼ cup Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a medium bowl, toss Brussels sprouts with 1 Tbsp. olive oil.  Spread evenly on a baking sheet and sprinkle salt and pepper on top.  Roast the sprouts for 20-25 minutes, or until browned and crisp.  While the sprouts are roasting, you can prepare the chicken and get the pasta water started.  Cut the chicken breasts into smaller, bite-sized pieces – cook in a medium skillet with a bit of olive oil.  In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente.  Drain the pasta water, but reserve about ¼ cup to add to the assembled pasta dish for additional moisture if needed.  Add the chicken, pesto, Brussels sprouts to the pasta and mix well.  Serve in bowls and top each serving with a pinch of shredded Parmesan cheese.

Tip:

There are a lot of extras you could add into this recipe – try some sliced almonds, or sun-dried tomatoes!

XOXO Megan