Sheet Pan Pesto Chicken With Asparagus Tomatoes And Walnuts

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Sheet Pan Pesto Chicken with Asparagus, Tomatoes & Walnuts

1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts , diced into 1-inch pieces
1 lb asparagus (don’t use thick spears), tough ends trimmed and discarded remaining diced into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 pint fresh grape tomatoes (2 cups)
1/2 cup Fishers Walnuts Halves and Pieces

For the pesto, add basil leaves, 1/4 cup walnuts, parmesan and garlic to a food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped.
Add olive oil, season with salt and pepper to taste and pulse until everything is finely chopped and well combined. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Line a rimmed 18 by 13-inch baking sheet with a sheet of parchment paper or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
Place chicken and asparagus on sheet pan, pour over 1/4 cup of the basil pesto.
Season chicken and asparagus with salt and pepper and toss everything to evenly coat.
Spread into an even layer (don’t let chicken pieces overlap) and roast in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
Remove from oven, carefully drain off excess liquid from one corner if needed (use a spatula as a guard to keep the ingredients from falling).
Add tomatoes, toss everything and return to oven and continue to roast until chicken is cooked through (larger pieces should be 165 degrees in center), about 8 - 12 minutes longer.
Remove from oven, spoon over another 1/4 cup of the pesto and toss (or just add the 1/4 cup to individual servings). Sprinkle in walnuts.
Serve immediately with more pesto if desired (or just reserve remaining pesto in refrigerator for another use - it can be frozen also).

If desired, you can prep the homemade walnut pesto in advance and freeze it for later use.
This pesto chicken and asparagus bake can be enjoyed as is, or you can serve it alongside rice, buttered noodles, or a simple side salad.
Recipe source: Cooking Classy