Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta
Chicken Pesto Pasta is a rich and flavorful dish, made with fresh basil pesto and parmesan cheese. Dinner will be ready in 30 minutes!
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dried pasta half a box, I used penne
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound chicken breasts about 3, cut into ¾ - 1 inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ¾ cup (180ml) heavy cream
- ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan
- ½ cup basil pesto
Instructions
- In a medium-sized saucepan, boil water and salt it. Add your pasta, and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. When the pasta is cooked, reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and drain the pasta.
- In a skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil and add chicken. Season with salt, pepper, and italian seasoning. Cook the chicken until browned and cooked through. You can use a kitchen thermometer to be sure that it has an internal temperature of 165°F/74°C.
- Deglaze the skillet with a couple tablespoons of water (or pasta water), just to get the fond (brown bits), and scrape off with a wooden spoon. Then melt butter and saute garlic for 30 seconds.
- Add cream, whisk, then add parmesan and basil pesto. Whisk and cook the sauce for 30 seconds - 1 minute or until the parmesan cheese has melted and the sauce is warmed up. Avoid overcooking, as that can make the pesto turn yellow. Add pasta water to thin the sauce if needed.
- Add the cooked pasta and chicken to the sauce, and gently mix everything together until combined.
Video
Notes
- This recipe will taste best if you make it with homemade pesto and freshly grated parmesan cheese.
- Avoid overcooking the pasta. Cook it just until al dente.
- Don't forget to save some of the pasta water! This will help you deglaze the pan, and you can use it to thin out the sauce at the end if you need to.
- To Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge, and enjoy within 3 days. This dish is best when it's fresh. When reheating, add a splash of water to make the pasta saucy again.
Nutrition
Calories: 696kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 137mg | Sodium: 1141mg | Potassium: 614mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1457IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 185mg | Iron: 2mg
Find it online: https://littlesunnykitchen.com/creamy-chicken-pesto-pasta/