Garlic Pesto Chicken with Tomato Cream Pasta

Erin: I think you can tell by now that over in the Guill - McCabe household, pesto is a family favorite. Sam's dad makes his own pesto with basil from his garden so Sam has always been a big fan. When we started dating, the first time he ever cooked for me he made me a pesto chicken pasta. Needless to say, whenever I want to wow Sam, I always make him something pesto-related! I found this recipe on Pinterest (of course!) and it was fabulous. Like, super fabulous. So good I almost cried. The chicken is so flavorful and the sauce is a mix between a tomato and cream based. Ah, I just couldn't get enough!

Ingredients:
1/2 bottle of Lawrys (or generic) Herb and Garlic Marinade
2 large spoonfuls of Pesto
2 boneless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons of olive oil
3 cloves of garlic
2 spoonfuls of pesto
1/2 cup of chicken broth
8 ounces of tomato sauce
1 cup of half and half
8oz of pasta (I used penne)

Directions:
1. The chicken needs to marinate overnight, so the night before, cut chicken into one inch strips. (or if you are like me, you forget the cut it) and then pour lawrys marinade and pesto over chicken.

The Next Day:
1. Pour entire batch of chicken, marinade and all, into skillet and cook chicken fully (the marinade will evaporate/cook down)
2. Heat pot of water and make pasta according to directions
3. Heat olive oil, cook garlic.
4. Add pesto and then simmer in chicken broth until half has cooked down.
5. Add tomato sauce. Then add milk. Simmer for 5 minutes.
6. Add flour to sauce if it needs to be thickened. (I added about 1-2 tablespoons of flour)

Pour sauce over pasta and top with chicken. It is FABULOUS!