Chicken Pesto Pasta
This High Protein Pesto Chicken Pasta is not only packed with protein but also flavor! Chicken breasts, sun-dried tomatoes, cream, basil pesto, and Parmesan are tossed to create a silky, restaurant-style sauce. It tastes fresh, comforting, and just a little fancy for a weeknight dinner.
What is Chicken Pesto Pasta?
The perfect mid-to-late summer dinner if you ask me! This pasta dish made with fresh pesto is made with all real food ingredients.
For this one-dish-wonder, you’ll boil pasta, saute chicken, make a quick homemade pesto, and then toss everything together for a HUGE party in your mouth. Each ingredient is nutrient-dense, satiating, and absolutely mouth-watering when combined!
Ingredients Needed
Here are the main ingredients you will need to get started…
- Chicken breasts – Or boneless, skinless chicken thighs will work.
- Whole grain pasta – We like whole wheat rotini, or you can use gluten-free pasta. My favorite is Banza brand rotini made from chickpea flour.
- Pesto – Either buy store-bought pesto (16 ounces) for a short-cut or whip up our super fresh and flavorful homemade version.
Step-by-Step Instructions
In just 5 simple steps and only 30 minutes, you’ll create a one-dish-wonder that feeds a large group. Find the full, printable recipe at the bottom. P.S. If you like simple pasta recipes, you will also like our Butter Noodles!
5) Finish & Serve: Taste and add more salt if needed (this is important for flavor). Top with extra Parmesan, red pepper flakes, and torn basil, if desired. Serve warm.
Side Dish Ideas
While this is a one-dish-wonder, it can’t hurt to serve your pasta meal along side any of these delicious side dishes.
Can You Freeze Chicken Pesto Pasta?
Using our 10+ years of experience, we think this is one meal that would NOT taste very fresh if frozen. You can certainly do it if you have leftovers that you’ll throw away, but just know that it will likely be somewhat dried out and more mushy when rewarmed.
BUT…you can totally make the pesto ahead of time and freeze it! In fact, it’s a great use of your time to make pesto in a big batch to freeze. Read about How to Freeze Pesto.
Recipe FAQs
While Homemade Pesto will always taste better, it’s often not feasible year-round. Instead, use about 2 cups store-bought pesto in place of the basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil in this recipe. We suggest buying the refrigerated pesto rather than the jarred kind.
Leftovers in the refrigerator will last 3-4 days. We don’t recommend freezing the leftovers as they will be mushy when thawed.
Yes, but the sauce will be thinner. You may need to reduce it a bit longer.
More Easy Chicken Meals
If you are looking for more 30-minute chicken meals, try some of these Thriving Home faves.
How to Get Picky Kids to Eat Pesto
Now, some of you may be saying, “But my kids are so picky. They won’t eat green pasta like this!” I get it. I’ve been there, and I’m proud to say all three kids will eat pesto now.
If you want to get your kids to delve into the world of pesto, here’s how I was able to get mine to take a liking to it.
- The kids helped me plant our garden. They’ve been an active part of watering our basil and other plants for a few months already this season. By gardening with me and my mom over the years, the children have felt ownership over our produce. And they have tried so many new foods as a result. It really does work.
- I had my kiddos pick the basil and help me measure out all the ingredients. We also all taste-tested the pine nuts, which they actually liked. This is one of those other tricks you’ve probably heard a million times, but getting the kids to cook with you often results in an expanded palette.
- We nicknamed the Pesto Chicken Pasta “Green Alien Pasta” and my kids thought it was hilarious. I’m not suggesting you trick your kids, but this just made the dinner fun.
I hope you enjoy this Pesto Chicken Pasta as much as we do!
How to Video
Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- Salt and pepper
- 8 ounces penne or rotini pasta (sub: gluten-free pasta)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into bite-sized pieces – about ½ inch)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (drained and finely chopped)
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (plus more for serving)
- 1/2 cup basil pesto (use our homemade pesto or a high-quality pesto from the store)
- Optional for serving: red pepper flakes, torn basil leaves
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it well. Add the pasta and cook until al dente according to package directions (about 8–9 minutes). Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain.
- Cook Chicken: While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large non-stick or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken in an even layer and season generously with salt and pepper on all sides and then with the Italian seasoning. Cook until golden on the outside and cooked through, about 6–8 minutes. Stir occasionally and break up pieces as needed. Chicken should be bite-sized and well browned for best flavor.
- Build the Sauce: Reduce heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream and sun-dried tomatoes and let warm for 1–2 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan until melted and the sauce is smooth.
- Combine: Remove the pan from the heat. Add the drained pasta and basil pesto and toss to coat in the sauce. Add about ¼ cup pasta water and stir until the sauce becomes glossy and clings to the pasta, adding more as needed.
- Finish & Serve: Taste and add more salt if needed (this is important for flavor). Top with extra Parmesan, red pepper flakes, and torn basil, if desired. Serve warm.
Notes/Tips
- Chicken Shortcut: Skip step 2. Dice rotisserie chicken from the store and add to the dish during step 3, although with the Italian seasoning.
- About the Pesto: We tested this with various kinds of pesto, including our homemade pesto. Guess what the winner was? Our homemade was for sure the best flavor, however store-bought can work and save you time and money. So if you can’t make your own, look for high-quality, refrigerated pesto from the store. Check the ingredients and try to find one with basil, pine nuts, Parmesan, olive oil, and garlic (or something close to that).
- Gluten-Free Version: Simply substitute your favorite gluten-free pasta in this recipe. I really like Banza brand rotini.
- This is an update of an older recipe for Chicken Pesto Pasta. You can get the download for it here.
Nutrition
Photos and video by Whitney Reist of Sweet Cayenne.
Is there a substitute for the pine nuts? We have an allergy in the family. Thanks!
Yes, some good options would be raw cashews, macadamia nuts, or walnuts.
We really loved this. Half a recipe was plenty. Good hot or cold. We added lits more tomatoes and used store sauce.
So glad you liked it and that you took the time to leave a review. I always add extra tomatoes too!
Rachel, I am also a basil fanatic… I add it to smoothies for an extra kick of freshness. So good!
Wow, bold move with the smoothie. You are a fanatic! Love it.