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.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 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
- 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.
- 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).
- 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.
- Drain the pasta. When the pasta is ready, reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water and drain.
- 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.
- 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.
Video
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.
- Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including olive oils, honey, jams, and spices.
Nutrition
Calories: 444.6kcal | Carbohydrates: 33.4g | Protein: 24.7g | Fat: 23.3g | Saturated Fat: 7.8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6.2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 75.3mg | Sodium: 363.1mg | Potassium: 551.4mg | Fiber: 2.3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 858.6IU | Vitamin C: 2.8mg | Calcium: 118.4mg | Iron: 1.5mg
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