Sun Dried Tomato Pasta with Chicken, Spinach and Goat Cheese

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I’m sharing a full meal with you today! This Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta with Chicken is full of bold flavor but comes together quickly enough for a weeknight dinner. Whole-grain spaghetti is tossed with homemade sun-dried tomato pesto, garlicky spinach and toasted pine nuts, then topped with sliced chicken, creamy goat cheese and a drizzle of balsamic glaze. It’s a complete pasta dinner with a delicious combination of savory, tangy and slightly sweet flavors. There are a few components to prepare, but they can all be made while the pasta cooks.

It’s a long one…Sun Dried Tomato Pasta with Chicken, Spinach and Goat Cheese. Talk about a hearty and healthy meal AND simple. Oh, and I covered it all with balsamic glaze…just for you! 😉

With all the recipes and ideas out there, I still sometimes don’t know what to make for dinner. Do you have that problem? Sometimes I’m just not in the mood to think about it, or I’m not craving much, or a recipe calls for too many ingredients and I don’t feel like going to the store or….or….

Well this recipe is really a no brainer and I usually have all of these ingredients on hand which may seem a little odd. I LOVE goat cheese and I LOVE sun dried tomatoes. I always have a jar of them in my fridge for salads and pastas.  One of the most simple recipes ever – pasta with sun dried tomatoes, olive oil, pepper and parmesan cheese. Easy right?

This recipe is easy too…just has a few steps.

Here’s the pesto! Simple….sun dried tomatoes, dried basil, onion powder, pepper and olive oil. Put it all in a food processor and zip away.

Add a little to your chicken for fun. Now, when you cook your chicken, the sun dried tomatoes will char. Don’t worry about this…it adds a nice smoky/char flavor and actually looks kind of cool?

Wilt spinach and add a little garlic at the end for extra flavor. This is whole bag friends! A lot of spinach does NOT go a long way. If you’re doubling this recipe, use two bags.

Toast up some pine nuts. These are Vin’s faaaaavorite.

Then simply boil up some pasta.

I prefer whole wheat pasta over regular pasta for this recipe. It’s a little earthier. However, regular pasta would work, too!

After you make the balsamic glaze (see instructions below), just assemble! This dish is super flavorful and fun to make. It does require a few steps so read over the recipe before you start making it…don’t get antsy like I tend to do and forget steps or ingredients (you think I would learn….).

Now if you don’t like goat cheese (you’re weird! Totally kidding…) you can add mozzarella or shaved parmesan.

Oh that glaze…

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Yield: 3 servings

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta with Chicken

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Sun-dried tomato pesto, garlicky spinach and whole-grain spaghetti are topped with tender chicken, creamy goat cheese, toasted pine nuts and a sweet balsamic glaze.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 8 ounces whole-grain spaghetti
• ¾ cup julienne-cut sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, divided
• ½ teaspoon dried basil
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper, plus more for seasoning
• 3 tablespoons olive oil or reserved oil from the sun-dried tomato jar, plus more as needed
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced in half horizontally to make 4 thin cutlets
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• ¼ cup pine nuts
• 5 ounces fresh baby spinach
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• ½–1 cup reserved pasta water
• 4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
• Store-bought balsamic glaze, for serving

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 8 ounces whole-grain spaghetti and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve 1 cup pasta water.
2. Meanwhile, add ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, ½ teaspoon dried basil, ¼ teaspoon onion powder and ¼ teaspoon black pepper to a small food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil or reserved sun-dried tomato oil and process until a thick pesto forms. Add another tablespoon of oil if needed to help it blend.
3. Place ¼ cup pine nuts in a large, dry skillet over medium-low heat. Cook for 2–4 minutes, stirring frequently, until lightly golden and fragrant. Immediately transfer the toasted pine nuts to a plate.
4. Pat the 4 chicken cutlets dry and season both sides with ¼ teaspoon kosher salt and a little black pepper. Spread approximately 1 tablespoon sun-dried tomato pesto over each piece.
5. Add a drizzle of olive oil to the same skillet you used for the pine nuts and place it over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3–4 minutes per side, or until browned and the center reaches 165°F. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, loosely cover it with foil and let it rest before slicing.
6. Reduce the heat to medium and add 5 ounces baby spinach to the same skillet. Add another small drizzle of olive oil if the skillet appears dry. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring, until the spinach begins to wilt. Add 1 minced garlic clove and the remaining ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Cook for 30 seconds, then remove the skillet from the heat.
7. Drain the cooked pasta and return it to the pot. Add the remaining sun-dried tomato pesto, wilted spinach and remaining ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes. Pour in ½ cup reserved pasta water and toss until evenly combined. Add more pasta water, a little at a time, if needed to loosen the pesto and coat the pasta.
8. Divide the pasta among plates. Top with sliced chicken, 4 ounces crumbled goat cheese and the toasted pine nuts. Drizzle with store-bought balsamic glaze and serve.

Notes

Using store-bought balsamic glaze saves time and eliminates the need for another saucepan. It can usually be found near the balsamic vinegar or salad dressings at the grocery store.

To make your own balsamic glaze, simmer ½ cup balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan over medium-low heat for 8–10 minutes, or until reduced and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. It will continue to thicken as it cools.

Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes work best because they are soft and easy to blend into pesto. You can also use some of the flavorful oil from the jar in place of regular olive oil.

Watch the pine nuts closely while they toast. They can burn quickly.

If you do not care for goat cheese, substitute crumbled feta or shaved Parmesan.

This recipe requires only one pasta pot and one skillet, plus a small food processor for preparing the pesto.

Recipe can be doubled to serve more.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

3

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 680Total Fat: 44gSaturated Fat: 12gUnsaturated Fat: 32gCholesterol: 96mgSodium: 636mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 4gSugar: 3gProtein: 42g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated. Use as an approximation only.

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