-
Preheat oven to broil. Place rack in centre of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or use a reusable baking mat).
-
Place almonds on baking sheet and roast in the oven for 1 minute, watching closely to make sure they don’t burn. Remove from oven, transfer to a bowl and set aside.
-
Drain sun-dried tomatoes, reserving 60 mL (¼ cup) oil. Place tomatoes and 45 mL (3 tbsp.) reserved oil in the immersion blender container.
-
Grate Parmesan cheese and place in container with tomatoes. Add 30 mL (2 tbsp.) toasted almonds. Use immersion blender to puree until smooth.
-
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions and reserve 375 mL (1 ½ cups) cooking water before draining.
-
Cut onion into 1.5-cm (½-in.) slices and slice chicken in half horizontally.
-
Place onion and chicken on the same baking sheet used to toast almonds. Add remaining oil from sun-dried tomatoes (15 mL/1 tbsp.), generously season with pepper and add a pinch of salt. Broil for 10–12 minutes or until chicken is browned.
-
Finely chop kale and coarsely chop cooked onion. Shred chicken.
-
Drain pasta and return to pot. Add homemade pesto, kale, onion, chicken and reserved cooking water. Mix well and season generously with pepper.
-
Transfer pasta to a serving dish, top with remaining almonds and serve.
Keeps 3 days in the refrigerator or 3 months in the freezer.
From the book Presque végé by Geneviève O’Gleman in collaboration with Les Éditions de l’Homme
Photo Credit: Maude Chauvin