I’m excited to share my Pesto Chicken Pasta, a simple 30-minute recipe using chicken, pasta, basil pesto and a pantry-friendly trick you’ll want to try.
I didn’t mean to fall for a weeknight recipe so hard, but my Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta keeps happening on repeat. I start with boneless skinless chicken breasts and a jar of basil pesto and somehow the whole thing becomes more than the sum of its parts.
This Pesto Chicken Pasta has a silky, almost indulgent feel yet it’s not fussy, and there’s always something new in the bowl to notice, a pop of basil here, a hint of tang there. I love that it’s quick enough for a real weeknight, yet sneaky enough to impress.
Ingredients
- Pasta: Starchy base, gives carbs and fiber, fills you up and soaks up the sauce.
- Chicken: Lean protein, builds muscle, keeps dish hearty, can be thigh or breast, very versatile.
- Pesto: Herby basil oil with nuts and cheese, adds umami, fat, and bright flavor.
- Heavy cream: Makes sauce silky and rich, adds fat and calories, balances pesto’s strong taste.
- Parmesan: Savory aged cheese, gives salty umami and calcium, grates into a nutty finish.
- Lemon juice: Brightens the whole dish, cuts richness with acid, a little goes a long way.
- Basil leaves: Fresh herb, adds aroma color and light peppery freshness, low cal and tasty.
Ingredient Quantities
- 12 oz (about 340 g) dried pasta, penne or fusilli
- 1 lb (450 g) boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces (thighs work too)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) low sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup (about 120 g) basil pesto, store bought or homemade
- 3/4 cup (about 75 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, optional but recommended
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn or chopped for garnish
- Pinch of red pepper flakes, optional
How to Make this
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until just al dente according to package directions; before draining scoop out and save about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water for later.
2. While the pasta cooks, pat the chicken pieces dry and season with salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat, add the olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Add the chicken in one layer and cook until golden and cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes depending on size. Don’t crowd the pan, work in batches if you need to. Remove the chicken to a plate.
4. Reduce heat to medium, add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the same skillet, then add the chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes.
5. Add the minced garlic and cook 30 to 60 seconds until fragrant, then pour in the chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the broth reduce a minute.
6. Stir in the heavy cream and the pesto, bring to a gentle simmer and let it thicken for 2 to 3 minutes while stirring.
7. Mix in the grated Parmesan until melted, add the lemon juice and a pinch of red pepper flakes if using; taste and adjust salt and pepper. If the sauce is too thick, loosen it with a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water until it coats the back of a spoon.
8. Return the chicken to the skillet, add the drained pasta, and toss everything together over low heat until well coated and heated through, adding more reserved pasta water if needed to reach a creamy consistency.
9. Turn off the heat, stir in the torn fresh basil, then plate and serve with extra Parmesan and another grind of black pepper. Enjoy, and don’t let the chicken overcook or it’ll get dry.
Equipment Needed
1. Large pot for boiling the pasta, with lid
2. Colander for draining pasta
3. Large skillet (10–12 inch) for searing chicken and making the sauce
4. Tongs or slotted spoon to move the chicken and toss the pasta
5. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula for stirring and scraping the pan
6. Chef’s knife and cutting board for chopping onion, basil and chicken
7. Measuring cups and spoons for cream, broth, pesto and lemon juice
8. 1-cup measuring cup or small ladle to reserve pasta cooking water
9. Box grater for freshly grated Parmesan
10. Small whisk (or fork) to blend the sauce if it needs smoothing
FAQ
Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Pasta (12 oz penne or fusilli): rotini or farfalle work great and hold the sauce, whole wheat or chickpea pasta for more fiber and protein, or zoodles or spaghetti squash if you want a low carb version
- Chicken breasts (1 lb): boneless skinless thighs are juicier, shrimp or scallops give a nice seafood twist, or firm tofu or tempeh if you want to make it vegetarian
- Heavy cream (1 cup): use half and half plus 2 tbsp melted butter to mimic richness, whole milk thickened with 1 tbsp cornstarch, plain Greek yogurt thinned with a bit of milk for tang, or full fat coconut milk / cashew cream for a dairy free option
- Basil pesto (1/2 cup): sun dried tomato or roasted red pepper pesto for a different flavor, spinach or arugula based pesto if you cant find basil, or a quick blend of chopped basil, garlic, olive oil and grated Parmesan for a fresh home made swap
Pro Tips
1) Save at least a cup of the pasta water and use it like glue for the sauce. If the pesto cream gets too thick add a few tablespoons at a time until it’s silky and coats the pasta, dont dump a bunch or itll get watery.
2) Dont crowd the pan when cooking the chicken. Give each piece space so it browns fast, that browning is flavor. If you have to do batches, do em — then let the cooked pieces rest a few minutes off the heat so they stay juicy.
3) Add lemon and most of the Parmesan at the end, off low heat, and taste for salt last since pesto and parm are already salty. If you add cheese to a roaring simmer it can get grainy, so melt it gently.
4) Use freshly grated Parmesan and fresh basil when you can, they really lift the dish. And if your pesto is super salty or intense, start with less and adjust, you can always add more but cant take it away.
Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta Recipe
I’m excited to share my Pesto Chicken Pasta, a simple 30-minute recipe using chicken, pasta, basil pesto and a pantry-friendly trick you’ll want to try.
4
servings
992
kcal
Equipment: 1. Large pot for boiling the pasta, with lid
2. Colander for draining pasta
3. Large skillet (10–12 inch) for searing chicken and making the sauce
4. Tongs or slotted spoon to move the chicken and toss the pasta
5. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula for stirring and scraping the pan
6. Chef’s knife and cutting board for chopping onion, basil and chicken
7. Measuring cups and spoons for cream, broth, pesto and lemon juice
8. 1-cup measuring cup or small ladle to reserve pasta cooking water
9. Box grater for freshly grated Parmesan
10. Small whisk (or fork) to blend the sauce if it needs smoothing
Ingredients
-
12 oz (about 340 g) dried pasta, penne or fusilli
-
1 lb (450 g) boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces (thighs work too)
-
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
-
1 tbsp olive oil
-
2 tbsp unsalted butter
-
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
-
2 cloves garlic, minced
-
1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
-
1/2 cup (120 ml) low sodium chicken broth
-
1/2 cup (about 120 g) basil pesto, store bought or homemade
-
3/4 cup (about 75 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
-
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, optional but recommended
-
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn or chopped for garnish
-
Pinch of red pepper flakes, optional
Directions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until just al dente according to package directions; before draining scoop out and save about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water for later.
- While the pasta cooks, pat the chicken pieces dry and season with salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper.
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat, add the olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Add the chicken in one layer and cook until golden and cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes depending on size. Don’t crowd the pan, work in batches if you need to. Remove the chicken to a plate.
- Reduce heat to medium, add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the same skillet, then add the chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and cook 30 to 60 seconds until fragrant, then pour in the chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the broth reduce a minute.
- Stir in the heavy cream and the pesto, bring to a gentle simmer and let it thicken for 2 to 3 minutes while stirring.
- Mix in the grated Parmesan until melted, add the lemon juice and a pinch of red pepper flakes if using; taste and adjust salt and pepper. If the sauce is too thick, loosen it with a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water until it coats the back of a spoon.
- Return the chicken to the skillet, add the drained pasta, and toss everything together over low heat until well coated and heated through, adding more reserved pasta water if needed to reach a creamy consistency.
- Turn off the heat, stir in the torn fresh basil, then plate and serve with extra Parmesan and another grind of black pepper. Enjoy, and don’t let the chicken overcook or it’ll get dry.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 450g
- Total number of serves: 4
- Calories: 992kcal
- Fat: 54.9g
- Saturated Fat: 23.5g
- Trans Fat: 0.1g
- Polyunsaturated: 8.75g
- Monounsaturated: 22.49g
- Cholesterol: 195.6mg
- Sodium: 889.5mg
- Potassium: 1152mg
- Carbohydrates: 70g
- Fiber: 4.6g
- Sugar: 8.75g
- Protein: 55.8g
- Vitamin A: 885IU
- Vitamin C: 7.5mg
- Calcium: 332mg
- Iron: 3.17mg