Ligurian Pesto Trofie with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Grilled Lemon Chicken

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Wash and pat dry 1 pint of cherry tomatoes. Place them on a baking sheet, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, season with a pinch of salt and black pepper. Roast for 15-20 minutes until blistered and slightly caramelized.

While tomatoes are roasting, prepare the pesto. Toast 1/3 cup pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until golden and fragrant, tossing frequently to prevent burning. Set aside to cool.

Peel and roughly chop 3 garlic cloves. Grate 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano and 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano cheese.

Wash 2 cups of fresh basil leaves and pat dry with paper towels.

In a food processor, combine the toasted pine nuts, chopped garlic, and a pinch of salt. Pulse until coarsely chopped.

Add the basil leaves to the food processor and pulse several times until roughly chopped.

With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil until emulsified but still slightly chunky.

Transfer the mixture to a bowl and fold in the grated cheeses by hand. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Set aside.

For the chicken, pat dry 1.5 pounds of chicken breasts with paper towels. Slice one lemon into thin rounds and set aside. Juice half of the remaining lemon and set aside the other half for serving.

Season the chicken breasts with salt, black pepper, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Rub the seasoning all over the chicken.

Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, place the chicken breasts on the pan and cook for 5-6 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature of 165°F).

In the last 2 minutes of cooking, add the lemon slices to the grill pan to char slightly.

Remove chicken from heat, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook 1 pound of trofie pasta according to package instructions until al dente, usually 9-11 minutes.

Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water before draining the pasta.

Return the drained pasta to the pot, add the pesto sauce and 2-3 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water. Toss gently to coat the pasta evenly, adding more pasta water if needed to achieve a silky consistency.

Gently fold in the roasted cherry tomatoes.

Chop 1/4 cup of Italian parsley.

Slice the grilled chicken breasts against the grain.

Serve the pesto trofie on plates, top with sliced grilled chicken, sprinkle with chopped parsley and red pepper flakes. Garnish with the grilled lemon slices and additional grated cheese if desired.