Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta
By Suzy Karadsheh
Category
Entree
Cuisine
Italian
Servings
6
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Total Time
20 Minutes
This chicken pesto pasta is the perfect dinner recipe for a special date night, or whenever you need a creamy bowl of Italian-style comfort in your life. Keep basil pesto on hand and it’s ready to go in just 20 minutes.
Ingredients
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1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
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1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
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Kosher salt
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Black pepper
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8 ounces penne pasta, preferably with ridges
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2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
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1/2 cup heavy cream
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1/4 cup parmesan cheese, plus more for serving if you like
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1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, drained if packed in oil
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1/2 cup basil pesto, homemade or quality store-bought, plus more if you like
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1/2 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
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Handful of torn basil leaves, for garnish
Directions
Season the chicken. Add the chicken to a bowl and season with the Italian seasoning and a big pinch each of kosher salt and black pepper. Toss to coat.
Cook the pasta. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and salt it well with about 1 tablespoon of salt. Drop the pasta in the boiling water and cook until al dente according to package instructions (about 8 to 9 minutes).
Cook the chicken. While the pasta is cooking, add the olive oil to a large non-stick skillet and heat over medium-high. Add the chicken and cook, tossing occasionally, until golden brown on the outside and cooked through, about 7 to 8 minutes.
Drain the pasta. When the pasta is ready, reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water and drain.
Combine. To the pan with the chicken, lower the heat and stir in the cooked pasta, heavy cream, parmesan, and sundried tomatoes. Stir until everything is well combined. If it looks a bit dry, add a splash of the pasta cooking water (a couple tablespoons at a time) until the pasta is glossy and coated in the creamy sauce.
Add the pesto. Turn off the heat and take the pan off the burner. Stir in the basil pesto and finish with a sprinkle of grated parmesan, red pepper flakes, and basil leaves. Serve.
Recipe Note
- Stir rather vigorously when you combine the pasta with the creamy sauce. With a good stir, pasta’s starch will release and thicken the sauce.
Nutrition
Calories 445, Fat 23.3 grams, Monounsaturated Fat 6200 milligrams, Sodium 363.1 milligrams, Sugar 4 grams, Calcium 118.4 milligrams, Carbs 33.4 grams, Saturated Fat 7.8 grams, Trans Fat 0.01 grams, Potassium 551.4 milligrams, Vitamin A 21.5 milligrams, Iron 1.5 milligrams, Protein 24.7 grams, Polyunsaturated Fat 1400 milligrams, Cholesterol 75.3 milligrams, Fiber 2.3 grams, Vitamin C 2.8 milligrams