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Pesto Chicken Pasta – You’ll be delighted by this pesto chicken pasta recipe, packed full of Mediterranean flavors. Pesto coated chicken is seared in the pan then tossed with basil and fresh tomatoes in al dente pasta. A sprinkle of Parmesan cheese adds a sharp finish to this fresh and easy chicken dinner, ready in 30 minutes.
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Ingredients list for the Pesto Chicken Pasta
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup basil pesto
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- Crushed red pepper flakes
- 3 tomatoes, diced
- 1 pound cooked pasta + 2 cups reserved pasta water
- Chopped fresh basil, for topping
- Grated parmesan, for topping
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Directions
1. To make the pesto chicken pasta: Coat chicken breasts with basil pesto and kosher salt and pepper, to taste. Heat a large skillet on medium heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and grill chicken until fully cooked, about 5-10 minutes depending on thickness. Slice and set aside.
2. To the same skillet add minced garlic, a tablespoon pesto (optional), and crushed pepper flakes. Simmer just for a few minutes just to combine flavors. Moisten with reserved pasta water and add Parmesan. When cheese is melted, add in the cooked pasta and toss well. You can also drizzle on a bit of olive oil or add more pesto if you want.
3. Add in sliced chicken with diced tomatoes and allow to reheat for a couple of minutes. Top the chicken pesto pasta with fresh basil, grated parmesan, black pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil if desired. Enjoy!
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Tips for the chicken pasta recipe
This pesto chicken pasta recipe is just the kind of weeknight dinner that’s sure to become a new favorite. Here are a few tips to make the best pesto chicken pasta dish ever!
- To prevent cooked tagliatelle pasta from sticking together, wait until the water is at a full, rapid boil before adding the pasta. Then stir the pasta as it cooks, aim for stirring every 2-3 minutes. Also, use a burner that is close in size to your cookware. This will help the pot heat evenly and cook the pasta evenly.
- Use good quality parmesan, from a real block of parmesan that you grate yourself. Not the cheap white powdered stuff you can find in some grocery aisles!
- Feel free to double the quantities for the sauce and adjust to your liking when tossing with pasta and chicken.
What other types of pasta can we use?
Use any pasta shape that holds the sauce well. Penne and rotini make excellent alternatives. To speed things up, you can also cook the chicken breasts and serve them over capellini pasta instead of tagliatelle as we used on the photos.
How and how long to keep the pesto chicken pasta leftovers?
If your family doesn’t lick the pan clean by the time dinner is over, this chicken pasta recipe reheats very well for lunch the next day! This pesto chicken pasta keeps very well in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. You can reheat on the stove or in the microwave, it’s up to you! Add a few drops of water when reheating to loosen the sauce and add additional grated parmesan and freshly diced tomatoes if you like.
Can we make the pasta recipe gluten-free?
You can make this pesto chicken pasta gluten-free! You can use gluten-free brown-rice pasta instead of regular pasta. Gluten-free quinoa pasta or lentil pasta will fit also fit nicely for this pesto chicken pasta recipe.
How to serve the pesto chicken pasta
As mentioned above, you can top the pesto chicken pasta with fresh parmesan and fresh basil. If you are serving this pesto chicken pasta at a dinner party, we encourage you to serve it in a large bowl with warm, crusty (garlic) bread and a bottle of red wine.
What other readers say about this pesto chicken pasta recipe
“Delicious!!! Quick and easy. Served it with a side salad. Husband loved it too! 👍🏻 Will be making again.” – Carina
More pasta recipes you might like
- Instant Pot Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta
- 20-Minute Sausage Pasta Skillet
- Tomato Spinach Sausage Pasta
- Creamy Garlic Shrimp Pasta
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Leave a Reply
Teresa
2023-10-14 00:16:27
I wish I read the reviews first and the recipe. It’s good, we enjoyed it. It did not take 30 minutes. However, there was no direction for adding the cheese, so I had to keep adjusting it once I added the pasta otherwise it wouldn’t have mixed. I will keep this recipe and try to figure out the holes :)
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Kennedy
2021-03-30 16:26:15
This was not a good recipe. It came out extremely watery, I had to throw it away and pick up take out. I followed the recipe exactly.
Sue
2021-02-09 18:29:47
How much Parmesan do you add?
Ambika
2021-01-25 11:55:38
This was delicious! The whole family enjoyed! We used freshly grated parmesan and everyone topped their own plates with it.
Carrie
2021-01-19 20:59:29
How much shredded parmesan is to be used ??????
