pesto chicken pasta

Our easy homemade basil pesto recipe adds fresh and bright summer flavor to chicken pasta for a simple, satisfying weeknight meal your family will love!

Basil Pesto Chicken Pasta

basil leaves (packed)

pine nuts

pecorino cheese (or parmesan)

garlic (peeled)

lemon juice

olive oil

salt and pepper

pasta

chicken

Set out a food processor. Place the basil leaves, pine nuts, pecorino cheese, garlic clove, and lemon juice in the food processor. Cover and pulse until finely ground.

Then add in the olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon ground pepper. Pulse again until a smooth, thick pesto sauce is formed. Taste, then salt and pepper as needed.

For the Basil Pesto:

Set a large pot of salted water over high heat, and set out a mixing bowl. Once the water is boiling, stir the pasta into the water. Cook to al dente, according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta and place in the bowl.

Stir in the shredded cooked chicken. Allow the temperature of the pasta to come down a little, as to not cook the pesto. Once the pasta is warm (not hot) stir in the pesto, one half cup at a time, until it is as saucy as you like.

Serve at room temperature, or cold. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

For the Pesto Chicken Pasta:

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/LDIBPMzy.mp4

Basil Pesto Chicken Pasta Recipe - Our easy homemade basil pesto recipe adds fresh and bright summer flavor to chicken pasta for a simple, satisfying weeknight meal your family will love. Plus it's a perfect stress-free make ahead dish!

This comforting creamy pesto chicken pasta is big on flavour, but easy on effort and time. Adaptable and ready in less than 20 minutes for a fuss-free weeknight supper, all made with a few simple ingredients.

Philly pesto chicken pasta

g pasta shapes

chicken breast ((diced))

g Philadelphia cream cheese

g pesto

g frozen peas

g cheddar cheese ((grated))

Boil a large pan of water, add a good pinch of salt and start cooking the pasta according to the packet instructions.

Heat a small frying pan on a medium ring. Add the olive oil (one good glug will be fine), and add the diced chicken breast. Cook the chicken breast for 5 minutes, turning the pieces frequently so that they don’t burn. If the chicken isn’t colouring, add a teaspoon of butter to the frying pan.(If you are using leftover roast chicken fry it for a minute to warm it through.)

When the chicken has cooked through and has some colour, add the cream cheese and pesto – one heaped tablespoon of each. Stir together with the chicken. Scoop out an espresso cup of the pasta water and stir into the chicken along with half the grated cheese to make a sauce.

When the pasta is nearly cooked, add the peas to the pan to cook.

Drain the pasta and peas, and add to the sauce. Stir well together and serve immediately, garnished with the remainder of the cheese.&nbsp;

This creamy chicken pesto pasta is a winning family dinner. Tender bites of chicken are mixed with your favorite pasta and smothered in an easy to make creamy pesto sauce. It's a 25-minute dinner recipe you don't want to miss! 

Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta

basil,

parsley,

parmesan

cashews

garlic cloves,

sea salt

lemon

water

pasta (penne is pictured)

chicken breasts,

Italian seasoning

EACH: sea salt and pepper

baby spinach leaves

cherry tomatoes

Begin by making the pesto sauce. Put all of the ingredients into your blender and blend on high until smooth. 

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions. Drain the water then return the pasta to the pot and toss with a little olive oil.

While the pasta water is warming, add the oil to a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook until the chicken is cooked through, stirring a few times, about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.

Add the cooked pasta, spinach, and tomatoes to the pan with the chicken. Pour the pesto sauce over top and mix everything together. Serve right away.

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/Ff4rUVJM.mp4

This creamy chicken pesto pasta is a winning family dinner. Tender bites of chicken are mixed with your favorite pasta and smothered in an easy to make creamy pesto sauce.

Chicken Pesto Pasta 

This creamy chicken pesto pasta is ready in just 20 minutes. It&#39;s proper comfort food with lots of flavour and packed with green vegetables too.

Chicken Pesto Pasta

Penne pasta

450 g Chicken breast (diced)

Olive oil

Garlic (crushed)

tbsp Pesto

Sea salt and black pepper

75 g Light cream cheese

g Parmesan (grated)

g Spinach

Broccoli

60 g Sun-dried tomatoes (finely chopped)

Pine nuts (optional)

Red chilli flakes (optional)

Add 200 g Penne pasta to boiling water and simmer for 12 minutes.

Heat 1 tbsp Olive oil in a large pan and add 450 g Chicken breast. Cook for 5-6 minutes.

After 7 minutes of the pasta cooking add 120 g Broccoli.

To the chicken, add 100 g Spinach, 2 Garlic cloves, 2 tbsp Pesto, 75 g Light cream cheese, 30 g Parmesan, 1 pinch Sea salt and black pepper, 60 g Sun-dried tomatoes, and 100ml/0.5 cup of pasta water.

Mix well and cook until the cheese has melted, about 2 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper and then add the cooked pasta and broccoli. Mix well to coat the pasta with the sauce.

Serve topped with Pine nuts and Red chilli flakes.

https://mediavine-res.cloudinary.com/video/upload/t_original/v1674729609/w15ynhjq6auvfziujkxa.mp4

This creamy chicken pesto pasta is ready in just 20 minutes. It's proper comfort food with lots of flavour and packed with green vegetables too. Chunks of chicken and vegetables mixed into creamy pesto pasta.

Top 4 pesto chicken pasta recipes from across the web

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Top Tags

Basil Pesto Chicken Pasta

Philly pesto chicken pasta

Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta

Chicken Pesto Pasta

Top 4 pesto chicken pasta recipes from across the web

The most viewed pesto chicken pasta recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Basil Pesto Chicken Pasta

Philly pesto chicken pasta

Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta

Chicken Pesto Pasta

The most viewed pesto chicken pasta recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine