Recipe: Chicken, Asparagus and Red Pesto Fusilli

This is such a simple dish, only using a few ingredients, but so packed full of flavour. I am actually drowning in Asparagus now, because there was a deal at Sainsburys for two massive bundles of it for only £3! I know it's out of season and it's from peru, but i dont care- student needs cheap veggies!! The "red pesto" i got from Marks and Spencers, and it seems to be called "red pesto" because it's not just sundried tomato based, its also got red peppers and cashew nuts and things in it. It's absolutely delicious anyway, i could eat it with anything- as a dip, on toast,on a jacket potato, you name it! If you cant find this though, any other sundried tomato pesto will work just as well.

Chicken, Asparagus, and red pesto fusilli (serves 3)

1 chicken breast
2 tsp rapeseed oil
1 tsp dried oregano
Salt and pepper
250g dried fusilli
12 asparagus spears, diced
3 rounded tbsp sundried tomato (or “red”) pesto
Knob of butter
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 200C. Put the chicken breast, oil, oregano and seasoning into an ovenproof dish, and bake for 25 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, bring a large pan of water to the boil. Add the fusilli and cook for 10 minutes (or whatever it says on the packet instructions). 4 minutes before the end of cooking time, add the asparagus to the pan.
3. Drain, and return to the pan. Remove the chicken from the oven and roughly dice. Add the cooked chicken, butter and red pesto to the hot pasta and asparagus, stir well to combine, season to taste and serve!