to. die. for. artichoke lemon pesto chicken pasta

ingredients:

2lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed 
2 large spaghetti squash, cut in half lengthwise 
30 artichoke hearts, cut in half 

1 cup walnuts

6 tablespoons olive oil

¾ c vegetable broth

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup fresh parsley

1 cup fresh basil

juice of 2 lemons

s + p to taste

3-5 cups of spinach 

-preheat oven to 400F.

-cut the squash in half lengthwise, place cut side down on a baking sheet and bake for 30-35 minutes or until squash gives when you poke the outside of it. use a spoon to remove the excess seeds then a fork to thread the strings from the squash to make "spaghetti"

-while the squash is baking, make the pesto and chicken: place a large pan over medium-high heat, add a splash of fat and 1 minced garlic clove. as soon as the garlic becomes fragrant, add the halved artichokes. sprinkle with salt and pepper and let cook until slightly browned and tender on all sides. once artichokes are browned, add them to a food processor along with the walnuts, olive oil, vegetable broth, and second garlic clove. puree until smooth, then add the parsley, basil, lemon, and salt and pepper. puree once more until smooth. taste and add more lemon and salt and pepper to your preference.
-once pesto is done pureeing, add the chicken to the same pan that you sautéed the artichokes in. cook chicken over medium-high heat until browned on all sides. sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper. once chicken is cooked through, add in about ¼ of a cup of the pesto to the chicken along with the spinach, in the pan and mix well to coat. cover and let cook for 2-4 minutes or until spinach is wilted, then add the threads of spaghetti squash to the pan (or a large mixing bowl if you need more room). mix spaghetti squash, pesto, and chicken all together. serve warm!