Servings 4 servings
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups lightly packed kale leaves
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted
- 2 Tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
- 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil
- 1 pound linguine pasta
- 4 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch the kale leaves in the boiling water for 15 seconds them transfer them into a sieve. (Leave the boiling water on the stove to use for the pasta.) Using a spatula, press the kale leaves firmly into the sieve to release as much water as possible then transfer the kale leaves into a blender.
- Add the toasted pumpkin seeds, Parmesan cheese, garlic, salt and pepper to the blender and pulse briefly to combine the ingredients. With the blender running, stream in 1/3 cup of olive oil and continue blending, scraping down the sides of the blender as needed, until the mixture is a smooth puree. Set the pesto aside.
- Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Rinse and thoroughly dry the chicken breasts then season them liberally with salt and pepper.
- Add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil to the heated pan. Place the chicken breasts in the pan and allow them to cook until they naturally release from the pan. Flip the chicken breasts once and continue cooking until they reach 165°F and are no longer pink. While the chicken cooks, add the linguine to the pot of boiling salted water and cook until al dente, 9 to 11 minutes.
- Drain the pasta and transfer it to a large bowl. Add the pesto to the bowl, tossing to combine. Slice the seared chicken breast and serve it alongside the pasta
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