I love using a grill pan when it isn’t quite BBQ weather outside. You can grill your chicken any way you like and serve it with fettuccine sauced with a fresh-as-a-summer-garden pesto. Roasted garlic gives it an edge over the typical pesto recipe.

I made some cheesy, sun-dried tomato and arugula bruschetta to serve alongside. You can find the yummy recipe here.

Chicken With Pesto Fettuccine

Ingredients:

Pesto (recipe follows)
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 pound fettuccine

Directions:

1. Preheat a grill pan over medium heat until very hot.

2. Season both sides of the chicken with half of the salt and all of the pepper.

3. Place chicken on the grill pan and cook for 4 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side for 4 minutes.

4. While chicken is cooking, bring a pot of water to boil. Add remaining salt and fettuccine. Cook until just tender, about 7 minutes.

5. Drain pasta and toss with half of the pesto.

6. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, spread with the remaining pesto and cut into crosswise strips.

7. Divide pasta between plates and top with the chicken.

Serves 2 (doubles easily)

Pesto

Ingredients:

1/2 cup parsley leaves
1 cup basil leaves
3 cloves roasted garlic
1 tablespoon pine nuts
1/3 cup olive oil

Directions:

1. Combine the first 4 ingredients in a food processor. Process to form a paste.

2. With the motor running, slowly add the olive oil. Continue processing until well blended.

Recipes from Grill Pan Cookbook: Great Recipes for Stovetop Grilling by Jamee Ruth

This one’s for Leonard.

“Snakes” is brand new from Pale Green Things, a project of Manchester, UK-based alt-folk singer Jack Traynor. It gives fear of the unknown its own groovy pop tune.

Check out Pale Green Things on Facebook. You can buy the music on Bandcamp.

Cheers!