Description
Indulge in a rich and satisfying Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta dish that combines tender chicken, flavorful pesto, and creamy sauce over al dente pasta. This recipe is perfect for a quick and delicious weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta:
- 12 ounces pasta (penne or fettuccine)
Chicken:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into bite-sized pieces)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
Creamy Sauce:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup prepared basil pesto
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes (halved, optional)
- fresh basil or extra Parmesan for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Boil pasta in salted water, drain, and set aside.
- Sear the chicken: Brown chicken in olive oil, season, and cook until done.
- Make the sauce: Sauté garlic, add cream, pesto, Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Cook until thickened.
- Combine: Mix cooked pasta with sauce, add tomatoes if desired, and warm through.
- Serve: Garnish with basil or Parmesan and enjoy hot.
Notes
- You can use rotisserie chicken or leftover cooked chicken to save time.
- For a lighter version, use half-and-half or whole milk instead of heavy cream.
- Enhance with spinach or sautéed mushrooms for added vegetables.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 610
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 420 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 36 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg
