Pasta is a dish everybody enjoys and what’s more easier than a pasta dish when you want to cook something quick but tasty.

My children are not fond of pestos, which my husband and I love, so I cooked the chicken and then just at the end I divided it into two frying pans, added the pasta and finished them off making half with the pesto I made that day and half as a Greek style carbonara.

If you don’t like beetroots, feel free to substitute with your favouite pesto. I have posted a lot of pestos from where you can choose from and my favourite Mint Pesto is included in my cookbook.

Chicken with Fussili and Beetroot Pesto, recipe by Ivy

Serves: 3

1 packet (500 grams) fussili, divided

500 grams chicken breast

¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

¼ cup white dry wine

½ cup, chicken broth

1 bay leaf

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

A pinch of thyme

A pinch of oregano

¼ cup walnuts

Half the quantity of the Beetroot Pesto

Directions:

Wash and cut the chicken into thin slices of 1 cm.

In a heavy skillet, heat the olive oil and sauté the onion and garlic until translucent. Add the chicken and sauté until it is white on both parts. Add the wine, the chicken broth, the bay leaf and the spices.

Close the skillet with the lid and simmer for 10 minutes.

Meantime cook pasta according to package instructions (about 10 minutes).

Drain and mix in with half of the the chicken. Add the pesto and mix.

Serve with a few walnuts on top and freshly grated black pepper.

The traditional carbonara is with pancetta, cheese and eggs. However, my children like it with bacon and I also add some light cream together with the egg, as well.

Chicken with Fussili Carbonara

Serves: 3

Half of cooked fussili

Half of cooked chicken breast

1 packet bacon (120 grams)

2 egg yolks

1 light cream

1 cup of grated graviera or other cheese*

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Sauté bacon in a non stick frying pan without oil. Discard any fat.

Beat the egg yolks with the light cream, add the cheese, salt and freshly grated pepper and mix.

After the chicken is cooked add half to the bacon as well as half cooked pasta.

Add the above cheese mixture and mix.

*You can use any cheese or a mixture of more than one cheeses that melt such as Greek cheese such as graviera, kasseri, halloumi, feta, or other cheeses like mozzarella, edam, milner, goudda, Kerrygold, gruyere etc.).

Other Pestos you can use:

Pesto Mafioso from Sicily

Scarlet Pesto with Piperies Florinis

Cilantro Pesto

Mint and Parsley Pesto

Kopiaste and Kali Orexi,