Chicken Pesto Pasta

User Reviews

5.0

210 reviews
Excellent
  • Prep Time

    10 mins

  • Cook Time

    10 mins

  • Total Time

    20 mins

  • Servings

    6

  • Calories

    4446 kcal

  • Course

    Main Course

  • Cuisine

    Italian

Chicken Pesto Pasta

This chicken pesto pasta is the perfect dinner recipe for a special date night, or whenever you need a creamy bowl of Italian-style comfort in your life. Keep basil pesto on hand and it’s ready to go in just 20 minutes.

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Ingredients

Servings
  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • kosher salt
  • black pepper
  • 8 ounces penne pasta, preferably with ridges
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving if you like
  • 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, drained if packed in oil
  • 1/2 cup basil pesto, homemade or quality store-bought, plus more if you like
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • Handful of torn basil leaves, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Season the chicken. Add the chicken to a bowl and season with the Italian seasoning and a big pinch each of kosher salt and black pepper. Toss to coat.
  2. Cook the pasta. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and salt it well with about 1 tablespoon of salt. Drop the pasta in the boiling water and cook until al dente according to package instructions (about 8 to 9 minutes).
  3. Cook the chicken. While the pasta is cooking, add the olive oil to a large non-stick skillet and heat over medium-high. Add the chicken and cook, tossing occasionally, until golden brown on the outside and cooked through, about 7 to 8 minutes.
  4. Drain the pasta. When the pasta is ready, reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water and drain.
  5. Combine. To the pan with the chicken, lower the heat and stir in the cooked pasta, heavy cream, parmesan, and sundried tomatoes. Stir until everything is well combined. If it looks a bit dry, add a splash of the pasta cooking water (a couple tablespoons at a time) until the pasta is glossy and coated in the creamy sauce.
  6. Add the pesto. Turn off the heat and take the pan off the burner. Stir in the basil pesto and finish with a sprinkle of grated parmesan, red pepper flakes, and basil leaves. Serve.

Notes

  • Stir rather vigorously when you combine the pasta with the creamy sauce. With a good stir, pasta’s starch will release and thicken the sauce.
  • our shop
  • to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including
  • olive oils
  • ,
  • honey
  • ,
  • jams
  • , and
  • spices
  • .
  • Stir rather vigorously when you combine the pasta with the creamy sauce. With a good stir, pasta’s starch will release and thicken the sauce.
  • Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including olive oils, honey, jams, and spices.

Nutrition Information

Show Details
Calories 444.6kcal (22%) Carbohydrates 33.4g (11%) Protein 24.7g (49%) Fat 23.3g (36%) Saturated Fat 7.8g (39%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1.4g Monounsaturated Fat 6.2g Trans Fat 0.01g Cholesterol 75.3mg (25%) Sodium 363.1mg (15%) Potassium 551.4mg (16%) Fiber 2.3g (9%) Sugar 4g (8%) Vitamin A 858.6IU (17%) Vitamin C 2.8mg (3%) Calcium 118.4mg (12%) Iron 1.5mg (8%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 4446 kcal

% Daily Value*

Calories 444.6kcal 22%
Carbohydrates 33.4g 11%
Protein 24.7g 49%
Fat 23.3g 36%
Saturated Fat 7.8g 39%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.4g 8%
Monounsaturated Fat 6.2g 31%
Trans Fat 0.01g 1%
Cholesterol 75.3mg 25%
Sodium 363.1mg 15%
Potassium 551.4mg 12%
Fiber 2.3g 9%
Sugar 4g 8%
Vitamin A 858.6IU 17%
Vitamin C 2.8mg 3%
Calcium 118.4mg 12%
Iron 1.5mg 8%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

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