Ingredients:

  • 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch bite-sized pieces
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ cup raw cashews, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes and drained
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 clove fresh garlic, peeled
  • 12 oz pasta
  • ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cups fresh baby spinach
  • ½ tsp red pepper flakes
  • ¼ cup fresh basil, chiffonade

Instructions:

  1. Blend the soaked and drained cashews, vegetable broth, nutritional yeast, onion powder, and one garlic clove in a high speed blender. Process on high until the mixture is completely smooth and velvety.
  2. Season your chicken pieces with sea salt and black pepper.
  3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken and sear for 5-7 minutes until golden brown and cooked through, then remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Note: Don't crowd the pan or the chicken will steam instead of sear.
  4. In that same skillet (keep those brown bits!), add the minced garlic and chopped sun dried tomatoes. Sauté for 2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant and the tomatoes have softened.
  5. Lower the heat to medium. Pour in the blended cashew cream and stir in the red pepper flakes. Let the sauce simmer gently for 3-5 minutes to marry the flavors.
  6. While the sauce simmers, boil your pasta in salted water.
  7. Add the cooked pasta, seared chicken, baby spinach, and fresh basil to the skillet.
  8. Toss everything together until the spinach is wilted and the pasta is evenly coated.
  9. Add a splash of reserved pasta water if the sauce feels too thick.