Spicy Chicken Brown Rice Pasta with Raw Mint Walnut Pesto!

You’re only 25-minutes away from a gourmet healthy & delicious recipe! Check out this Spicy Chicken Brown Rice Pasta with Raw Mint Walnut Pesto recipe submitted by Tasty25 contributor Amber Constant of New Orleans, Louisiana; this balanced & wholesome meal feeds 3 adults, and touts a mere 348 calories per serving! It will make a great lunch or dinner for you and/or your family, and the food presentation is even dashing enough to consider preparing it for a romantic candlelit dinner with a significant other! Make sure to share your thoughts with everyone by leaving a rating & comment below, and we hope you enjoy. Happy Cooking! – Tasty25 Staff

 

 

Every recipe has a story! Amber shared hers with us: “I really LOVE the raw mint pesto on this dish; the flavors blend so amazingly! Additionally, feel free to garnish the dish with black sesame seeds and/or hemp seeds for added taste & food presentation.” –Amber

 

CALORIE COUNT: 348 Calories Per Serving; SERVING SIZE: 312 grams.

 

What you need:

 

Ingredients for Pasta & Pasta Sauce:

1/2 Package of brown rice pasta

1/2 Large white onion (Chopped)

2 Cloves fresh garlic (Chopped)

2 Cup tomato basil pasta sauce

1 Cup shredded chicken (*You can buy a small rotisserie chicken from your grocery store for this.)

1 Cup cherry tomatoes

1 Tsp. paprika

1 Tsp. cayenne

2 Tbsp. chopped basil

1 Tbsp. parsley

Ingredients for Raw Mint Pesto:

1/4 Cup fresh mint

1/4 Cup fresh green kale

1/4 Cup raw walnuts

1/4 Cup fresh parmesan

2 Tsp. fresh lemon juice

1/8 Tsp. sea salt

Black pepper. (As desired)

Directions: (Approximate cook time: 25 minutes; Serves 2-3 adults.)

1. Follow the cooking directions on your package of Brown Rice Pasta. (Have your pasta cooking while you prepare the pasta sauce & raw mint pesto.)

2. Next, take the grapeseed oil & chopped onions, and place them in a medium-sized stovepan over medium heat; Cook onions until softened, for about 5-7 minutes.

3. Add in the fresh minced garlic, and cook until it becomes aromatic. (About 1 min.)

4. Toss in the shredded chicken, halved cherry tomatoes, chopped fresno peppers, a dash of black pepper, and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.

5. To complete the sauce, add in your tomato basil pasta sauce, along with the spices & herbs; Turn down your heat to medium-low, and cook everything for 3 minutes.

6. Next, take the cooked brown rice pasta, and mix evenly with your pasta sauce.

7. For the raw mint pesto, take all of your ingredients and blend them together into a food processor/blender until well incorporated; serve the pasta onto a plate, and then top your pesto onto the pasta (as shown in the picture).

8. Eat & enjoy!

 Thanks Amber for sending in this wonderful arrangement to Tasty25 Magazine! What’s your Tasty25 creation? Send in your recipe, and be featured on Tasty25 by going to the “Submit Your Tasty25 Creation” page.

Tasty25 TV: Strawberry & Peach Salad w/ Chicken!

It’s never a bad idea to whip up a balanced salad in the kitchen for lunch or dinner! Check out Episode 2 of Tasty25 TV, as we bring you a Strawberry & Peach Salad w/ Chicken recipe submitted by a very special Tasty25 contributor – Chef Dana Herbert of New Castle, Delaware. Chef Hebert recently competed for Buddy Valastro’s 8-week baking contest “Next Great Baker” on the cable television network TLC™, and won first place! His culinary creations have also been featured on several other cable TV networks, including WeTV™ and QVC™, and it’s an honor to welcome this world-class baker & food enthusiast to our food conscious community. His salad recipe is a complete meal consisting of only 390 calories per serving, contains 33% of your daily Vitamin A recommendation, and over 124% of your Vitamin C! Give Chef Dana’s recipe a try, and let us know what you think by rating and/or commenting. Enjoy, be food conscious, and Happy Cooking!  – David Jones II, Editor

 

 

What you need:

2  6-oz chicken breasts

2 Bunches of spinach/baby spinach (Washed, dried, and cut if needed.)

3 Cups sliced strawberries

1 Cup sliced peaches

1/2 Cup walnuts

2 Tbsp. poppy seeds

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp. honey

1/2 Tsp. dry mustard

1/4 Tsp. black pepper powder

Pinch of sea salt & paprika

 

 

Directions: (Approximate cook time: 15 minutes; Serving size – 4 adults)

1. Using a whisk, combine the lemon juice, 2 Tbsp. of olive oil, dry mustard, poppy seeds, and a pinch of salt & paprika until all ingredients are dissolved; Place dressing in the refrigerator.

2. Next, heat your oven to 350 degrees; Place walnuts & almonds on a metal baking tray, and toast in the oven for 8-10 minutes.

3. Cut the chicken breasts into even horizontal strips; Place on a cooking grill, and grill until cooked all the way through. (10-15 minutes.)

4. After the chicken is thoroughly cooked, toss torn spinach leaves, strawberries, and peaches in a large bowl, and drizzle the refrigerated dressing over it.

5. Now add walnuts, and top salad with grilled chicken; serve immediately.

6. Eat & enjoy!

 Thanks Chef Dana for sending in this wonderful arrangement to Tasty25 Magazine! What’s your Tasty25 creation? Send in your recipe, and be featured on Tasty25 by going to the “Submit Your Tasty25 Creation” page.