Pesto Pasta with Grilled Chicken

 The great thing about pesto is that is goes with so many things!  A jar of pesto (or homemade pesto) on hand can be the lifesaver to any mundane meal!  I didn't have anything planned for dinner tonight...so this was one of my  "throw together at the last minute without a recipe" meals.  Anyone can do this...and I'm sure many of you already do!  But just in case you are a "by the book" kind of cook - I'll share my 'recipe' of sorts (aka: what I threw together) with you.

Ingredients
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast - thawed
8 oz. whole wheat spaghetti noodles
Olive Oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced or grated
6-8 whole mushrooms, sliced
1/2 onion, chopped
1 shallot, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 cup fresh spinach leaves
3 large fresh basil leaves, chopped.
6 oz. -8 oz. pesto

15 oz. can diced tomatoes

salt & pepper, if desired

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (Yes!  The real stuff you grate yourself! :) or you could cheat I suppose...)  

Directions: 

Bring water to boil in large saucepan and cook noodles as directed.  Heat 1 TBS oil in medium skillet over medium high heat and add chicken breasts, cook about 7 minutes on each side, or longer until chicken is browned but still juicy.  Add salt/pepper to chicken - or an herb blend and seasoning salt if desired.  Meanwhile,  in another extra large skillet, heat 1 TBS olive oil over medium heat, add mushrooms - be careful not to crowd them so that they brown.  Once mushrooms begin to shrink and brown, add onions, shallot, green pepper and garlic.  Add spinach and basil leaves.  Cook for about 2 minutes until spinach is somewhat wilted.  Add tomatoes.  When veggies are tender and pasta is done boiling, drain pasta and add to large skillet with veggies.  Add pesto to the noodles and veggies and mix well.  Remove from heat.  Remove chicken from other skillet when full cooked and browned on both sides.  Slice chicken breasts and serve over bed of pasta.  Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.  Enjoy! :)