Creamy pesto pasta is the newest addition to my easy pasta dinner series. I wanted to create something that started with searing the chicken in a skillet. Then building the flavors one ingredient at a time. We’ll use chicken stock to deglaze the pan so that all of that flavor goes right into the creamy pesto sauce. I’m happy to report that not only is this recipe simple enough for anyone to make, it’s delicious and perfect for date night too! Most of the ingredients in this recipe are pantry staples. If you’re someone who like basil pesto, I have a killer recipe for a homemade version but you can also use store-bought pesto if you’d like. My tip for using store-bought pesto is to check the refrigerated prepared food section of your grocery store to see if they sell a fresh refrigerated version instead of the one in the tomato sauce or pasta aisle. That tends to make this whole thing taste so much better!
What ingredient do you need to make creamy pesto pasta?
Chicken: You can use any boneless, skinless chicken for this recipe. I usually use chicken tenders or chicken breasts, but you could also use chicken thighs as well.Seasonings: You’ll need the usual – kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder to season the chicken with. You’ll also need red pepper flakes to season the creamy pesto sauce with.Pasta: I like to use penne pasta for this recipe because the sauce clings to the ridges and gets inside the pasta and bursts with very bite. You can also use shell or bowties if you’d like. Other short-cut pasta will also work.Butter: The butter is used to saute the garlic and is the base of the pesto cream sauce.Garlic: I like to use a garlic press or a grater to make the prep work extra quick for this recipe. You can use as much or as little garlic as you’d like for this recipe. I suggest tasting the pesto to see how much garlic it has before you add garlic to the recipe. I usually opt for around 3 cloves and it tends to be perfect for our taste.Flour: You’ll need a tablespoon to create a roux along with the butter which will then help thicken the sauce. I usually prefer to use flour for this recipe so I can use half and half and still have a thick sauce that clings to the pasta. You can also swap the flour, use a little less chicken stock, and use heavy cream in place of the half and half if you wanted this to be a bit more luxurious or if you want to skip the all-purpose flour all together.Chicken Stock: helps deglaze the pan once the onions and red pepper flakes have cooked in the butter. Half and Half: adds creaminess to the sauce. Half and half is a product sold here in the States. It’s essentially just a 50:50 combination of whole milk and heavy cream.Basil Pesto: is a condiment that is from the Liguarian region of Italy. It contains ingredients like fresh basil leaves, pine nuts, parmesan cheese, olive oil and garlic. I have a homemade version here. If you aren’t a fan of basil pesto, you can also use my homemade spinach pesto for this recipe instead.Broccoli florets: Broccoli adds color and an added serving of veggies to the pasta. Feel free to omit the broccoli or use something else instead if you’d like. I just steam the broccoli in the microwave or in a steamer basket before adding it to the sauce at the end.
How to make pesto chicken pasta:
Do I have to use the chicken?
Absolutely not! You can sauté mushrooms the same way I sautéed the chicken if you’d like. This helps double up on the veggies and skip the chicken to make it vegetarian. Using shrimp instead of chicken would also make a delicious, pescatarian-friendly meal!
How long will leftovers last?
Leftovers typically last 3-4 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. You may need a splash or water or chicken stock when you’re reheating the pasta to bring it back to the freshly-made consistency.
What are your serving suggestions for this meal?
I love a good no-knead focaccia on the side, but I also wouldn’t mind a salad dressed with Italian dressing. I also love a good Kale Caesar salad or an everyday kale crunch salad to add more greens to dinner. Cacio e pepe inspired brussel sprouts (or the garlic butter kind) or a marinated mozzarella tomato salad would also pair well.
If you like this recipe, you might also like
Paprika Chicken PastaOne-Pot Creamy Mushroom PastaEasy Weeknight Pasta PuttanescaLemon Basil Arugula Pasta SaladGarlicky Calabrian Chili Pasta with Shrimp
Pesto: You can also swap the basil pesto for homemade spinach pesto.
