Easy Pesto and Avocado Pasta

Pasta and Avocado Spaghetti

Serves: 3

Ingredients

• 120-150g pasta ( I used lentil tubes )

• 2 small chicken breasts, diced

• 1 small onion, finely diced

• knob butter

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 2 avocados, diced

• 120g tender stem broccoli, roughly chopped

• 3-4 tbsp homemade pesto ( I have also tried Tesco's low-fat red pesto which was delicious, as seen in photos )

• 50g spinach

• 50g sun-blushed tomatoes( or dried ), optional

• handful of fresh basil leaves

• 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts

• grated parmesan ( and lots of it- it makes a difference! )

• black pepper

• sriracha, I know it sounds weird and slightly obsessive but it goes surprisingly well! I think...

For the Pesto

• 50g basil

• 150ml extra virgin olive oil

• 50g pine nuts, toasted until golden

• 50g parmesan

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

- In a blender, blitz the basil, pine nuts and parmesan until a paste forms. Add in the garlic and blitz again. While the processor is still running, pour in the olive oil then blend for 30 seconds before transferring to a sterilised jar. Set aside

Method

- Boil a large pot of water with salt and add the pasta. Stir and cook until al-dente.

- In a large deep set cooking pot, heat the butter and olive oil over a medium-high heat. Once melted, add in the onions and fry for a few minutes uncovered, stirring frequently, then cover to cook for 5 minutes.

- After 5 minutes, add in the broccoli and stir. Cover again and cook for a further 5 minutes. Add in the diced chicken and season generously. I added in some dried herbs as well ).

- Fry until the chicken is coloured all over then add a splash of water with the spinach. Cover.

- Drain the pasta once cooked then stir into the chicken mix. Scoop the pesto into the pot and turn everything together. Add in the avocado chunks and sun-dried tomatoes, if using.

- Cook until everything is warmed through then serve with a generous grating of parmesan and a sprinkle of pine nuts.

* If you have leftover pesto, I absolutely love to do myself a chicken, sun-blush tomatoes and pesto toastie using B-free seeded bread )