Recipe(tried): Chicken and Vegetables with Pesto

This is a great recipe for pesto lovers. I make pesto and keep it in the freezer. We really like this dish and thought I would share. Served with spinach and cherry tomato salad and french bread.

Chicken and Vegetables with Pesto

3 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 yellow onion, cut in half and thinly sliced lengthwise
1 red bell pepper, seeded, deribbed and thinly sliced lengthwise
2 small zucchini, cut into strips 2 inches long, and about 1/2 inch thick
1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup basil pesto either home made or purchased
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

12-16 ounces of farfalle (butterfly) pasta

Cook pasta while you are preparing the sauce.

In a wok or saut pan over high heat, warm 2 tablespoons of the oil, swirling to coat the bottom and sides of the pan. When the oil is very hot but not smoking, add the chicken pieces and stir and toss every 15-20 seconds until lightly browned and just cooked through, 4-6 minutes. Be sure to distribute the chicken evenly in the pan so it comes in contact with the heat and cooks evenly. Transfer to a dish and set aside.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan over medium high heat, again swirling to coat the pan. When the oil is hot, add the onion and stir and toss every 15-20 seconds until it begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the bell pepper, zucchini and mushrooms and stir and toss every 15-20 seconds until the onion is tender, 3-4 minutes longer. Return the chicken to the pan, add the stock and stir and toss just until the chicken and stock are heated through, 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the pesto, salt and pepper and toss until the chicken and vegetables are nicely coated with the sauce. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Serve over pasta. Serves 4