Penne With Green Beans & Cashew Butter

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1/2-3/4 cup roasted cashews
• 6 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 1/3 pounds in all)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt (use less if cashews are salted)
• 3/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 3/4 lb penne pasta
• 1/2 lb fresh green beans, cut into 1 inch lengths

Recipe

• 1 combine the cashews and butter in a food processor.
• 2 pulse to a smooth paste.
• 3 or finely chop the cashews and combine them with the butter.
• 4 in a medium non-stick frying pan, heat the oil over moderate heat.
• 5 season the chicken breasts with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper.
• 6 cook until browned and just done.
• 7 time will depend on the thickness of the chicken breasts.
• 8 remove the chicken from the pan and let cool for 5 minutes.
• 9 cut into small pieces.
• 10 in a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the penne until just done, about 13 minutes.
• 11 add the beans during the last five minutes of cooking.
• 12 drain the pasta and beans and toss with the cashew butter, chicken and the remaining salt and pepper.