Creamy Pesto Pasta with Chicken and Broccoli

Name: Creamy Pesto Pasta with Chicken and Broccoli
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 serving
Ingredients: 8 oz. bow tie pasta; 8 oz. frozen broccoli florets; 1 Tbsp olive oil; 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast; 1/3 cup basil pesto; 1/2 cup chicken broth; 4 oz. cream cheese

User Reviews

4.8

222 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
25 mins
Servings
4
Calories
60633 kcal
Course
Main Course

Creamy Pesto Pasta with Chicken and Broccoli

Nancy Wheeler

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A super fast creamy pesto sauce drenches tender pasta, chicken breast, and broccoli for an easy weeknight dinner.

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Ingredients

Servings

8 oz. bow tie pasta $0.67
8 oz. frozen broccoli florets $1.00
1 Tbsp olive oil $0.12
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast $2.49
1/3 cup basil pesto $0.73
1/2 cup chicken broth $0.07
4 oz. cream cheese $0.40

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Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to boil for the pasta. Once it reaches a full boil, add the pasta and continue to boil just until the pasta is tender, but still slightly firm in the center (7-8 minutes). Once the pasta is tender, add the frozen broccoli florets to the water with the pasta and continue to cook for 2-3 more minutes, or until the broccoli is tender. Drain the pasta and broccoli in a colander.
While the pasta is cooking, cut the chicken breast into ½-inch pieces. Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the chicken and continue to cook until the outside of the chicken pieces are white, but they're still tender in the center (they will continue to cook as more ingredients are added).
Add the chicken broth to the skillet with the chicken and allow it to heat through. Once hot, add the cream cheese (cut into small pieces) and pesto. Continue to stir and cook until the cream cheese has melted and created a smooth, creamy sauce with the pesto and chicken broth.
Finally, add the cooked and drained pasta and broccoli to the skillet and stir to coat it in the cream sauce. If the sauce becomes too dry or thick, add another splash of chicken broth to loosen it up. Serve hot.