- 1 bunch fresh cilantro (about 2 cups)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ cup salted pistachios, toasted, divided
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 (13.25 ounce) box whole-wheat rotini or penne pasta
- 2 cups shredded or chopped cooked white meat chicken (cooked leftovers or rotisserie chicken are options)
- 1½ cups grape tomatoes, halved
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To prepare pesto, put cilantro, garlic, lemon juice, Parmesan cheese, cayenne pepper, pistachios (minus 2 tablespoons), and salt in a food processor or blender. Add about half the olive oil and blend. Add remainder of olive oil and blend until mixture reaches desired consistency.
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Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.
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Return pasta to cooking pot on low heat, add pesto and chicken, heating until warmed through. Add tomatoes. Stir to combine.
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Top with reserved 2 tablespoons of nuts then serve. Can be served warm, room temperature or cold as a summer salad.
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Want more great recipes? Try this One-Pot Italian Soup! Or would you like to learn more about the wheat that you eat? Check out What a Bushel of Wheat Means to Me!
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One serving provides approximately: 265 Calories, 14 g Protein, 30 g Carbohydrates, 4 g Fiber, 10 g Fat (2 g saturated), 25 mg Cholesterol, 3 mcg Folate, 2 mg Iron, 166 mg Sodium