Creamy chicken pesto pasta is rich, easy and perfect for weeknight dinner! Loaded with juicy chicken, basil pesto and green beans.
If love creamy pastas like Olive garden fettuccine Alfredo or Rasta pasta, you should try this super luscious chicken pesto pasta.
Chicken pesto pasta
This creamy chicken pasta is super simple and the creamy pesto parmesan sauce is out of this world!
I have a whole jar of homemade basil pesto and don’t want it go to waste. Pesto pasta is always a great way to use any pesto. It brings any pasta dish to a whole new level.
This pasta is super easy to make yet very delicious and will surely wow your loved ones. You can customize the recipe; use asparagus or mushrooms instead of green beans. Add more or less pesto to fit your personal preference.
Creamy Chicken pesto pasta ingredients
To make this pasta, you will need:
- Chicken- skinless and boneless chicken breasts, salt and pepper for seasoning; oil for frying.
- Garlic: Mince garlic using a microplane grater. Don’t substitute with garlic powder. It will not work for this recipe!
- Green beans: If you don’t like green beans, use asparagus or mushrooms.
- Chicken broth: Use low sodium chicken broth to control the amount of salt that goes into the sauce.
- Cooking cream: For a lightened up sauce, use evaporated milk or half & half.
- Basil pesto: Homemade pesto is more flavorful and works best. But you can use high quality store-bought basil pesto.
- Parmesan cheese- Be sure to grate the cheese. Fresh grated cheese melts better through the sauce.
- Penne rigate pasta-Pesto shines best with Bucatini, Fettuccine, Penne Rigate or Fussili. There are 2 types of penne pasta. Penne rigate has ridges and tends to soak up more sauce than smooth penne.
How to make creamy chicken pesto pasta
So let’s dive in the process!
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and keep for later.
- Cook the chicken. Slice the chicken breasts, season with salt and pepper; pan sear over medium high heat in batches until cooked through. Return all the chicken back into the pan and add the garlic, green beans and butter. Cook until the garlic is fragrant.
- Make the sauce. Reduce the heat to low. Pour in the chicken stock and cream; bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in the pesto and parmesan and cook until melted. Season with salt and pepper.
- Mix. Add the cooked pasta and mix well.
What is pesto sauce
Pesto is an iconic Italian green sauce. It is typically made with fresh basil, pine nuts, parmesan cheese, garlic and olive oil.
You can use it on everything, from pasta to sandwiches. It adds fantastic flavor.
I always make pesto at home, but you can purchase a good quality Kirkland pesto from Costco or at amazon. You will need about 5-6 tablespoons of pesto for this recipe, use the rest for Pesto butter salmon or basil pesto butter.
How to store and reheat chicken pesto pasta
Store leftover pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Alternatively, freeze it for up to 5 months. When ready to serve, thaw in the fridge overnight.
Reheat this creamy pasta on LOW heat, stirring from time to time. You may need to add a few tablespoons of water or milk to make it creamier.
What goes well with chicken pesto pasta
Serve it with a fresh salad like Fattoush or Quinoa salad with feta cheese. Roasted asparagus and roasted cauliflower is perfect alongside this pasta. Options are endless! Serve it with your favorite sides to enjoy more.
More delicious pasta recipes
If you make this chicken pesto pasta be sure to leave a comment or give this recipe a rating! I will be happy to hear from you!
Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- Skinless chicken breasts sliced- 1 ½ lb (700 gm)
- Salt-1 teaspoon or to taste
- Crack black pepper- ½ teaspoon or to taste
- Olive oil- 2 tablespoons
- Garlic minced-4
- Green beans trimmed and cut into thirds-2 cups
- Butter- 2 tablespoons
- Chicken broth- 1 cup
- Cooking cream- 1 ½ cup
- Basil pesto-½ cup
- Fresh grated Parmesan cheese- 1 cup
- Salt and pepper- to taste
- Penne rigate pasta- 14 oz
Equipment
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package instructions in a pot of salted boiling water. Drain and rinse. Keep aside for later.
- While pasta is cooking, heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. When oil is hot, arrange the chicken in a single layer and fry until cooked through, about 6 minutes ( 3 minutes per side). You may need to cook chicken in batches if your skillet is small. Return the cooked chicken into the skillet.
- Add the green beans, garlic and butter, cook until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute over medium heat.
- Reduce the heat to low medium, pour in chicken broth and cooking cream; bring to a gentle simmer. Season with salt and pepper.
- Stir in the parmesan cheese and pesto and cook until the cheese has melted through. Taste test and adjust the seasoning (if needed).
- Add the cooked pasta and mix.
- Garnish with fresh basil leaves and serve. Enjoy!
Nutrition
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