Cook it once, eat it twice: this is a crave-worthy dinner with extras that quickly transform into tomorrow’s lunch. That’s thanks to special added ingredients that can easily be heated up, even at the office (your coworkers will be amazed, trust us). For the first meal, you’ve got a pesto-y pasta with chicken thighs and a dash of Parmesan. The next day, it becomes a pesto chicken sandwich on baguette, with slices of fresh tomato to keep things lively. *The nutrition facts panel represents the nutrient values for the Chicken and Pesto Pasta Dinner. The Chicken Salad Lunch information is as follows: Calories: 440, Fat: 17 g, Saturated Fat: 3.5 g, Carbohydrate: 50 g, Sugar: 6 g, Fiber: 4 g, Protein: 25 g, Cholesterol: 80 mg, Sodium: 620 mg.
The quantities provided above are averages only.
Produced in a facility that processes eggs, milk, fish, peanuts, sesame, shellfish, soy, tree nuts, and wheat.
2 unit
Roma Tomato
1 unit
Lemon
24 ounce
Chicken Thighs
1 tablespoon
Tuscan Heat Spice
6 ounce
Cavatappi Pasta
(Contains Wheat)
4 ounce
Pesto
(Contains Milk)
¼ cup
Parmesan Cheese
(Contains Milk)
2 ounce
Arugula
2 tablespoon
Sour Cream
(Contains Milk)
2 unit
Demi-Baguette
(Contains Soy, Wheat)
4 teaspoon
Olive Oil
1 tablespoon
Butter
(Contains Milk)
Salt
Pepper
Wash and dry all produce. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Dice one tomato. Zest 1 tsp zest from lemon, then cut into quarters. Pat chicken dry with a paper towel. Season with salt, pepper, and Tuscan heat spice. Once water is boiling, add cavatappi to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9-11 minutes. Reserve ¼ cup cooking water, then drain.
Meanwhile, heat a large drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until no longer pink in center, 4-5 minutes per side. (TIP: Work in batches if you can’t fit all the chicken comfortably.) Remove from pan and set aside to rest. Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces once cool enough to handle.
Heat another drizzle of olive oil in same pan over medium heat. Add diced tomato. Cook, tossing, until slightly softened, 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add cavatappi, 1 TBSP butter, and ¾ of the pesto and toss to combine. Stir in lemon zest and half the Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper.
Stir half the chicken into pan with pasta. Remove from heat and stir in a squeeze or two of lemon. (TIP: If mixture seems dry, add a bit of pasta cooking water.) Let pasta cool slightly, then stir in ⅔ of the arugula. Divide between plates, sprinkle with remaining Parmesan, and serve.
FOR LUNCH: After dinner, toss together sour cream, a squeeze of lemon, and remaining chicken and pesto in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and set aside in the fridge. When ready to pack your lunch, slice remaining tomato into thin rounds. Cut baguettes in half lengthwise. Divide chicken, tomato, baguettes, and remaining arugula and lemon between lunchboxes.
FOR LUNCH: When you’re ready to eat lunch, toast the baguettes in a toaster until crisp and golden. Toss arugula with a squeeze of lemon juice, a drizzle of olive oil, and salt and pepper. Fill baguettes with chicken, arugula, and tomato, making sandwiches.