Tomato, Basil, and Chicken Gemelli

This is a recipe I found on one of my favorite food blogs, www.fortheloveofcooking.net.  The blogger always has great recipes that are easy to recreate and my family generally loves them.  I liked that we were able to use a bunch of the fresh basil we got from my friend Katie's garden as well as the tomatoes from the farmer's market.  I also think that this will be even better as a cold salad for lunch tomorrow. 

Tomato, Basil, and Chicken Gemelli

12 oz. whole wheat gemelli
2 chicken breasts
salt/pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
1-2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 c. cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 c. pine nuts
1/2 c. fresh basil, chopped
asiago cheese, to taste

Instructions:

Cook pasta according to package directions.

In a clean, dry pan, cook pine nuts over medium heat until lightly toasted, about 5 minutes.

Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat and cook chicken, approximately 5 minutes per side, until cooked through.  Set aside for 2 minutes before cutting into bite sized pieces.

In the same pan, toss cooked pasta, garlic, tomatoes, pine nuts, and chicken with 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil.  Top with asiago cheese.

Husband Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Food for Thought: This was better the day after... I took it as a cold salad for lunch on our picnic and it was delicious.  I think next time I might even chill the pasta and eat it cold right away!