Whole Wheat Pasta with Chicken and Spinach Pesto

Preparation

• 1
  Cook the whole wheat pasta in plenty of boiling salted water according to package instructions until al dente (usually about 12–15 minutes).
• 2
  Meanwhile, pat the chicken breast fillet dry, cut into bite-sized cubes, and pan-fry in about 10 ml of sunflower oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes until golden brown. Set aside.
• 3
  For the spinach pesto, put the baby spinach, hazelnut kernels, the remaining Parmesan (whole or roughly chopped), and the remaining sunflower oil into a blender. Process everything into a smooth pesto and season with salt and pepper. For a more intense flavor, add the garlic and blend.
• 4
  Drain the cooked pasta, reserving some of the pasta water. Mix the pasta with the spinach pesto and chicken cubes. If necessary, add a splash of pasta water to make the sauce smoother. Arrange on plates and serve.