Description
Chicken Pesto Pasta is a flavorful and quick meal combining tender pieces of chicken breast with al dente pasta and a creamy homemade basil pesto sauce. This vibrant dish is enhanced with cherry tomatoes and Parmesan cheese, making it a perfect weeknight dinner that’s both satisfying and easy to prepare.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 8 oz pasta (penne, fusilli, or spaghetti)
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, for cooking
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (optional)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
- Fresh basil leaves, for garnish (optional)
Pesto Sauce
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Boil Water: In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil to prepare for cooking the pasta.
- Cook Pasta: Add 8 oz of pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining the pasta and setting it aside.
- Blend Ingredients: In a food processor, combine 2 cups of fresh basil leaves, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1/3 cup pine nuts (or walnuts), and 2 cloves of minced garlic. Pulse until the mixture is finely chopped.
- Add Olive Oil: With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in 1/2 cup of olive oil until the pesto mixture is smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Heat Oil: In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat getting ready to cook the chicken.
- Cook Chicken: Add the bite-sized chicken pieces to the skillet, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from heat.
- Mix Pasta and Chicken: In the same skillet with the cooked chicken, add the drained pasta and the prepared pesto sauce. Toss everything together, adding reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a creamy consistency.
- Add Cherry Tomatoes: If using, gently fold in 1 cup of halved cherry tomatoes to add freshness and color.
- Plate the Dish: Serve the Chicken Pesto Pasta in bowls, spreading the ingredients evenly.
- Garnish: Top each serving with additional grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves to enhance flavor and presentation.
- Enjoy: Dig in and savor your delicious and flavorful Chicken Pesto Pasta!
Notes
- Reserve pasta water to adjust the sauce’s creaminess and loosen the pesto if it becomes too thick.
- You can substitute pine nuts with walnuts or almonds according to your taste or availability.
- For a vegetarian version, omit the chicken and increase the amount of vegetables or add mushrooms.
- Use gluten-free pasta if you need to accommodate gluten intolerance.
- To enhance the flavor, lightly toast the pine nuts before adding them to the pesto sauce.
