Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta

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Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta is a great choice for a simple weeknight dinner.  The recipe uses basic everyday ingredients and is perfect for family meals.  You can use homemade or store-bought basil pesto.

Ingredients

Roasted Tomatoes

  • 10 oz cherry tomatoes (sliced in half)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic minced

Chicken Pesto Pasta

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1.5 lb chicken breast (2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon paprika
  • 8 oz pasta (bow-tie, penne, or fusilli)
  • ¼ cup basil pesto
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • ¼ cup pine nuts (optional)

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 400 F. Toss cherry tomatoes, sliced in half, with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and minced garlic. Spread in a casserole dish. Roast for about 20 minutes while you prepare the pasta.
  • Prepare the chicken. This recipe uses 1.5 lb of chicken breasts which usually means 2 large chicken breasts. Make sure to use thinly sliced chicken breasts. Slice each chicken breast in half horizontally. Season them with salt, pepper, and paprika.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium-high heat in a large skillet until hot. Add chicken and cook for about 5 minutes per each side until it’s cooked through. Remove chicken to a plate. Slice it thinly.
  • Bring a pot of water to boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain.
  • Add cooked and drained pasta, basil pesto, and cream to the same skillet that you used to sear chicken. Stir gently and bring to simmer to coat pasta with sauce.
  • Top with sliced cooked chicken, roasted tomatoes and pine nuts (optional). Season with extra salt and pepper or add crushed red pepper flakes, if desired.

Notes

  • Adjust the amount of basil pesto.  This recipe uses ¼ cup of pesto.  Feel free to add extra tablespoons of pesto to your taste.
  • Add extra toppings. Lightly toasted pine nuts and freshly grated Parmesan cheese add extra flavor and texture.   
  • Use extra veggies.  If you want to add more vegetables, add sliced fresh tomatoes, sliced cooked asparagus, sun-dried tomatoes, or mushrooms.
  • Add spiciness. Add red pepper flakes if you would like to make your pasta spicy.
  • Adjust seasonings. Even though the basil pesto tends to be salty, do taste the final dish before serving and season it with extra salt and pepper, if needed.

Nutrition

Nutrition InformationCreamy Chicken Pesto PastaAmount per ServingCalories764% Daily Value*Fat 42g65%Saturated Fat 11g69%Trans Fat 1gPolyunsaturated Fat 6gMonounsaturated Fat 16gCholesterol 151mg50%Sodium 511mg22%Potassium 997mg28%Carbohydrates 49g16%Fiber 3g13%Sugar 4g4%Protein 47g94%Vitamin A 1212IU24%Vitamin C 19mg23%Calcium 79mg8%Iron 3mg17%* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.