Chicken Pesto Pasta

I made up this recipe using ingredients that I love. My family really liked it, even my picky two year old gobbled it all up. It makes a lot so there are leftovers which are just as good the next day. Next time I will try adding broccoli or asparagus too.

Chicken Pesto Pasta
Submitted by Kelly Marsden

1 box whole wheat penne pasta
3-4 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
3 medium zucchini sliced
2 medium yellow squash sliced
1/2 bag frozen peas
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
1/2 cup reserved pasta water
1 cup homemade pesto sauce
Shaved Parmesan Cheese and toasted pine nuts for garnish

Cook chicken breasts on stove top in pan with a little bit of extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. After cooking chicken, let rest and chop into bite size pieces. Saute sliced zucchini and yellow squash in little bit of extra virgin olive oil. I don't like my veggies over cooked, I like them to still have a bite to them. Cook pasta as directed on box. Before draining the cooked pasta add frozen peas to hot water for a couple of minutes. This will thaw the peas perfectly. Reserve 1 cup pasta water. Drain pasta and peas. In a large pasta bowl add 1/2 cup reserved pasta liquid. Stir in pesto sauce. If you want a thinner sauce add the other 1/2 cup pasta liquid. Add the drained pasta and peas, chicken, veggies, and pine nuts. Stir everything together and garnish with shaved Parmesan cheese and toasted pine nuts.