This meal was first introduced to me when Sister Roundy brought it to us after I gave birth to Dean. We loved it! When I asked her for the recipe, she said it was a Campbell’s soup recipe that used cream of chicken soup. Over the years we have made this dish so many times and altered it just as many! I’ve taken this meal to many other families after the birth of a child or when someone is experiencing a family emergency. People always love it. One of the things I love about it is that the ingredients are easy to keep on hand in case you need a meal right away. If you keep a box of pasta, a jar of pesto, and a can of chickpeas in the pantry (or a tray of chicken tenderloins in the freezer), you are in great shape to take a meal to someone without a lot of notice.
Some of the ingredients are listed as optional (bouillon powder, butter, and cream). That is because we have made this meal many times without them and done just fine. Having said that, whenever I add those ingredients, our family always comments about how yummy it was this time. That checks out because anytime you add salty, buttery, creamy things to dinner, it’s gotta be good. If you don’t have those items available or if your diet is best without them, just know it will turn out great anyway!
Pesto
One thing to remember about the pesto is something that applies to most things in cooking and in life — the better the quality going in, the better the end result. Sometimes the budget is the priority and that is totally understandable. But for times when you can use a good quality pesto, go for it! You might even like making your own pesto!
The original recipe never called for balsamic glaze, but we’ve found that the glaze adds a zing that is just right. We found out about balsamic glaze when we lived in Germany, but it is widely accessible in the US. Once you start using balsamic glaze, you’ll wonder where it has been all your life!
Chicken
The chicken was an invention that we also came across in Germany. I’d taken my car in for maintenance and walked to a nearby restaurant to eat lunch while I waited. The salad I ordered came with the most delicious chicken on top. I still have no idea how that chicken was made, but this approach is my best attempt. We love it. My family is always happy when I make it. The acidity of the vinegar tenderizes the chicken. The lemon pepper adds a great flavor. It’s easy and fast to make. It freezes well if you want to make a big batch and pull out pieces as needed. It’s just a winner. The chicken can be served with many dishes including fettucini alfredo or green salad. The sky’s the limit!
See the video above for a demonstration of how to remove the white tendon that runs through a chicken tenderloin. The paper towel keeps the tendon from slipping through your fingers. Removing the tendon makes the chicken easier to cut and chew.
If you’re too tired to make the chicken, if you don’t have any in the fridge, or for any other reason, you can add chickpeas to the pasta instead. It’s not the same taste as the chicken, but it does add protein to the dish and is convenient to use. Keep a few cans in the pantry and you’re good to go. Enjoy!
Bowtie Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
For the pasta
- 12 oz box of bowtie pasta
- 2 teaspoons salt, added to boiling water while cooking pasta
- 2-3 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder, optional
- 2-3 Tablespoons butter, optional
- 1/2 cup cream, or whole milk, optional
- 6-8 oz pesto, the higher the quality, the better the result
- garbanzo beans or chickpeas, for optional protein in place of chicken if desired. Otherwise, omit
Pasta topping
- balsamic glaze
- fresh parmesan cheese, shredded
For the chicken
- 4-5 chicken tenderloins
- a few Tablespoons olive oil
- a few Tablespoons lemon pepper
- a few Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Instructions
To make the pasta
- Boil pasta with salt according to package directions.
- Drain pasta, leaving a few tablespoons or more of water in the pot. Return pasta to pot.
- If using the bouillon powder, butter, and cream, add to pasta. Stir to combine.
- Add pesto. Stir.
- If using chickpeas add to pasta, and stir.
- Plate the pasta (if serving with chicken, keep pasta warm on low heat until chicken is ready to serve). Top with parmesan cheese and balsamic vinegar.
To make the chicken
- Using a paper towel to hold the end of the white tendon, take a fork and string it along with the tendon inside to remove the tendon. See video demonstration above.
- In a large frying pan add the olive oil and heat until warm.
- Lay each tenderloin in the pan without crowding it.
- Sprinkle the lemon pepper on each tenderloin, and cook for a few minutes until browned.
- Turn the tenderloins over and sprinkle again with lemon pepper.
- When opposite side is browned, add the balsamic vinegar to the pan. Allow the tenderloins to absorb the brown color as desired. Flip tenderloin over and repeat. Chicken is done with interior temperature reaches 165℉. Slice chicken if desired. Serve atop pasta.