Pesto chicken and pasta is an easy and relatively quick meal to prepare. Containing just a few ingredients, a typical pesto chicken and pasta recipe requires 10 minutes of preparation and 20 minutes of cooking, according to AllRecipes.com. The pesto preparation adds a bit of variety to pasta and chicken, two inexpensive and somewhat plain ingredients.
Calorie Content
One serving of pesto chicken and pasta contains 328 calories. Based upon the daily recommended intake of 2,000 calories, one serving of pesto chicken and pasta provides more than 16 percent of your daily calories. Being physically active may require you to consume more than 2,000 calories per day. The caloric expenditure calculator at NutriStrategy notes that an hour of running at an 11.5 mph pace can burn 633 calories for a 155-lb. person, equivalent to nearly two servings of pesto chicken and pasta.
Carbohydrate Content
Because pesto chicken and pasta is a pasta-based dish, it is rich in carbohydrates. One serving of pesto chicken and pasta contains about 43 g of carbohydrates. Of these carbohydrates, about 2 g come from sugar, while nearly 3 g come from fiber. Fiber is a required nutrient and offers a number of benefits, such as helping you feel full and and possibly reducing cholesterol levels, notes MayoClinic.com.
Fat Content
Although pasta and chicken are low in fat by themselves, added ingredients in the pesto chicken and pasta recipe, such as olive oil and pesto sauce, are high in fat, which increases the overall fat content of the dish. One serving of pesto chicken and pasta contains 10 g of fat, with 2.5 g of saturated fat. Although fat is high in calories, unsaturated fat provides many health benefits, such as reducing cholesterol and blood pressure levels.
Protein Content
Protein is an essential nutrient that supports the structure of your body's cells and tissues. In addition, protein is crucial for muscle growth. Each serving of pesto chicken and pasta provides more than 17 g of protein, mostly from the chicken.
Vitamin Content
Pesto chicken and pasta contains several vitamins. This dish provides 7 percent of the daily recommended intake of vitamin A, 18 percent of the daily recommended intake of vitamin B6 and 11 percent of the daily recommended intake of vitamin C.
Mineral Content
Pesto chicken and pasta also contains several minerals. Each serving of this dish contains 16 percent of the daily recommended intake of calcium, 25 percent of the daily recommended amount of iron and 65 percent of the daily recommended intake of folate.
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