I am making pesto chicken for a dinner party. I need to accompany it with a pasta, but which pasta?

Question

The chicken is chicken breasts filled with pesto and rolled jelly roll style and baked. I'm going for a relatively healthy menu: will be using whole wheat pastas, avoiding creamy sauces, etc. Which pasta would accompany it best? (or suggest your own!)
a. Fettuccini pasta primavera
b. Bowtie pasta tossed with pesto sauce
c. Angel Hair tossed with basil, garlic and fresh tomatoes

The salad is artichoke caesar and the bread is a whole wheat baguette. FYI :) Thank you!

Answer 1

For an elegant look I'd serve the chicken over a bed of angel hair. You don't really have to use a sauce on top of the pasta other than perhaps a little more pesto, thus keeping everything in the same flavor category. With your salad and baguettes it sounds perfect and delicious. Can I come?

Answer 2

Ok ~~~Notorious V.I.C.~~~; I would suggest that you don't fry it with the pesto, it would just be like rubber and may not cook all the way through. What I have found that works best, is that I slow roast several seasoned chicken breasts at 275ºF for 2 hours, [I used bone in and skin on removing such after baking is completed and chicken has cooled thoroughly], I then separate, shred and store the chicken in foil and then freezer bags for future use over the next couple weeks. I take out the amount of the frozen cooked chicken that I feel will be necessary for the meal and let it thaw for about a hour at room temperature. I then heat it over low heat in a little olive oil until hot then introduce the Pesto to it and then add the cooked pasta straight out of it's hot cooking water. Toss gently until all ingredients are well incorporated, then serve. Voila, you have Chicken Pesto & Pasta. This type of prepared chicken can be use in any recipe that calls for chicken as an ingredient, and it sure beats paying the high price for precooked chicken. Also, if the chicken is properly package and store in the freezer, it will last from 3 to 6 months or better. I really like the Mini Penne pastas, just seems to taste better. I hope this helped, enjoy!

Answer 3

I'd go with C, angelhair tossed with basil garlic & tomatoes.

You don't want something as busy as primavera since it's for a sidedish with your chicken. And more pesto would be too much pesto, you need to be complementing the pesto already in your chicken.

Sounds great though, wish I was on the guest list!

Answer 4

What time is dinner! Just kidding

If you are adding fresh diced tomatoes, the angel hair would not be robust enough to hold them. (by the way, anglehair is not a pasta)

Bowties would look excellent next to your chicken, but why would you not addthe diced tomatoes?

Fettuccini may take over the dish (also this is not a pasta)

Mini wheat penne would also work well and hold up to the sauce (and tomato) Also, it is a wonderful pasta for left overs. Your chicken diced over the penne with a few extra tomatoes perhaps mushrooms and pine nuts make wonderful left over dish. (and it can be frozen if need be)

Answer 5

OK, um, not the pesto with the pasta. The pesto will already be in the chicken. I'd go with the primavera sauce with bowties or rotini, or some funky shape you can find in whole wheat pasta.

Answer 6

If you're using a whole wheat pasta, they usually have a nice nutty flavor already so maybe serve the bowties (they look *fun*) with just a smidge of butter to keep it from sticking together and sprinkle with freshly shredded parmesan cheese and a little chopped fresh parsley.

Answer 7

I would think the larger the better.

However, I want to suggest something that works really good. Put the chicken breast on top of the pasta, and then melt a huge slice of mozzerella on top, then put the pesto sauce on top of that...works really good!

Answer 8

c. Angel Hair tossed with basil, garlic and fresh tomatoes would be superb. I have had that combo with chicken at fine restaurants and have prepared it myself like that. Your dinner sounds great! Can I come???? Live in New Jersey

Answer 9

Fettucine with fresh chopped basil, garlic, tomatoes and parm or Alfredo sauce here's a low fat recipe.


Salt
2 heads garlic
Pepper
Olive oil spray
8 ounces fettuccine
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup non-fat half-and-half
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Fill a 4-quart pot with water and bring to a boil. Season water with salt.

Cut the first 1/2-inch off the top of the heads of garlic to expose all of the cloves. Place garlic heads in the center of a piece of aluminum foil. Sprinkle exposed cloves with salt and pepper, mist with olive oil spray, and then wrap up in aluminum foil. Roast for 45 minutes, and then allow to cool.

Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Meanwhile, squeeze cooled roasted garlic cloves into a small saucepan, add chicken stock, and heat over medium heat. With an immersion blender, puree garlic and stock. Simmer until reduced by half. Add half-and-half and simmer until thick. Add Parmesan and blend again with the immersion blender. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Add noodles to pan with sauce and toss to coat. Divide pasta among plates and garnish with parsley.

Answer 10

I vote for c. Angel Hair tossed with basil, garlic and fresh tomatoes. Sounds great!