- This summer pasta recipe comes together in just 15 minutes.
- It uses only a handful of affordable Trader Joe’s ingredients, like ravioli and pesto.
- The meal combines creamy ravioli, grilled chicken, zucchini and tomatoes.
I go to Trader Joe’s approximately every other week. There are a few products my kids over the moon for—chicken soup dumplings are a particular favorite—and there are plenty of exciting snacks to toss in lunches. Plus, as a single parent with little time and interest in cooking elaborate meals, I get a lot of my favorite easy meals there.
After picking up a jar of lemon pesto on my last trip, I got excited about the various ways I could use it. One of my go-to seasonal buys is their lemon ricotta ravioli, which is good with some butter and parmesan, but I wanted to zhuzh it up and add in more protein and veggies.
Fortunately, I had also picked up some summer vegetables and chicken and had 15 minutes to myself, so I whipped up a quick, impromptu summer dinner. Now I’m totally in love—and I’m definitely making it again after my next Trader Joe’s run.
But before we get to the recipe, you’ll need to know what to add to your grocery list. For this recipe, I already had my olive oil, a little butter, some salt and some Parmesan cheese on hand. If those aren’t staples in your fridge and pantry, there’s some wiggle room in the $15 budget to add them to your cart at TJ’s.
Here’s what else you’ll need:
- Ricotta & Lemon Zest Ravioli for $3.99 (the Cacio e Pepe Ravioli works in this recipe, too)
- Lemon Pesto Sauce for $3.49 (a classic TJ’s pesto would work as well)
- Teeny Tiny Tomatoes for $1.99
- Chicken breast for about $2—you just need one for this recipe
- Zucchini for about $1—you just need one for this recipe
Abbey Littlejohn
Once your groceries are bagged and you’re back in the kitchen, just gather these ingredients and get started. Let’s break down the recipe.
Zesty Summer Pasta with Chicken and Summer Vegetables
Ingredients:
- 1 (4-ounce) chicken breast
- ¼ cup Lemon Pesto Sauce (or other pesto)
- 1 zucchini, sliced lengthwise into ¼-inch strips
- ¼ tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt to taste
- 1 8.8-ounce package of Ricotta & Lemon Zest Ravioli (or other Trader Joe’s ravioli)
- Butter to taste
- 1 3.53-ounce package of Teeny Tiny Tomatoes
- Parmesan cheese, grated, to taste
Instructions:
Start by preheating your outdoor grill to medium-high heat (or heating your grill pan on the stove). Cover the chicken breast in the pesto sauce, coating all sides. Then brush or drizzle the zucchini planks with olive oil and season with a pinch of salt. Grill the chicken breast until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F, flipping after five minutes and checking the temperature frequently.
Abbey Littlejohn
Grill zucchini approximately five minutes, flip and grill the other side another five minutes. You should get nice char marks and it should be easy to pierce with a fork. While you’re grilling, boil and salt water and prepare the ravioli according to the package directions. (Be aware that these will burst if left boiling too long, so be ready to remove them as soon as they’re done.)
Abbey Littlejohn
Drain pasta and add to a large serving bowl. Gently toss pasta in butter.
Remove the meat and veggies from the grill and cut them up into ½-inch bites. Add to the bowl and toss. Halve tomatoes (optional) and add them to the bowl. Add Parmesan to taste, toss gently and serve warm.
Abbey Littlejohn
This recipe made about four servings for my family, though it might yield three more generous portions for a group of adults. Because there’s so much flavor in every bite—and lots of creaminess from the ravioli filling—there’s tons to love about this recipe. For variations, I’d have added some spinach along with the tomatoes if I hadn’t let my spinach liquify in the fridge. I’d have also used more veggies if I’d had them on hand, and squash or peppers would be great additions. I’d also add in some fresh basil if I could keep it alive on my deck.
Abbey Littlejohn
Of course, there are plenty more swaps and modifications you can make if you like. Omit the butter and toss everything in olive oil if you prefer. You can also use more of the pesto on the pasta if you want even more herbaceous flavor. I actually prepared the entire package of chicken with pesto and, after cutting up one breast for this meal, saved the rest to mix into salads for lunch all week.
Next time I go to Trader Joe’s, I’m getting all of these ingredients again and making this meal ASAP. I appreciated that it felt *fancy* to eat lemony, cheesy pasta along with the leaner chicken and veggies—and that this feeling cost me $15 all at one store.
I’m also repeating this meal because it only took about fifteen minutes from fridge to mouth, since I could prepare the pasta while grilling. A simple meal that’s this easy and budget-friendly is such a win, and I can’t wait to have it again and again.
