Pesto and pasta, a super quick yet delicious Italian favourite! Just add chicken and green beans to turn this simple pasta into a great midweek meal that the whole family will love.

ALL the ingredients for this recipe are now available at your local Ritchies supermarket. Find your local VIC, NSW or QLD store.

chicken bean and pesto pasta

• 400g of your favorite pasta (we used pasta bows)
• 500g Ritchie’s chicken stir fry strips
• 300g of green beans, cut in 4cm lengths
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons good quality basil pesto
• ½ cup basil leaves, torn

to decorate

• a few whole basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts (optional)

Cook pasta to ‘al dente’ following manufacturers instructions, drain and reserve ½ cup of the cooking water. Blanche the beans for 2 minutes in boiling drain and refresh in cold water, reserve.

Using a wok or very large frying pan, heat the oil on a very high heat, add the chicken stirring regularly until the chicken is just turning colour and is cooked through. Working fast, add the garlic, pesto and blanched beans and ½ cup of the reserved pasta cooking water. Stir to combine and season generously with freshly ground black pepper and sea salt. At the last minute add the torn basil leaves. Serve hot topped with whole basil leaves and toasted pine nuts. Generously serves 4.