Description

This Creamy Chicken Pasta With Pesto is a delicious and comforting dish featuring tender pan-seared chicken breast tossed with al dente penne pasta in a luscious pesto cream sauce. Enhanced with garlic, lemon zest, and Parmesan cheese, it’s a perfect weeknight meal that’s both flavorful and straightforward to prepare. Fresh cherry tomatoes and extra Parmesan make the dish pop with freshness and a cheesy finish.

Ingredients

Scale

Pasta:

10 oz dry penne pasta (300 grams)

Chicken:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb chicken breast (2 smaller breasts), cut horizontally (450–500 grams)
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper

Sauce:

1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely diced
½ teaspoon lemon zest
½ cup chicken stock
⅓ cup pesto, divided
½ cup light cream (about 3 oz / 100 grams)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
A pinch of salt, to taste

To Serve:

Cherry tomatoes, halved
Extra Parmesan cheese

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Instructions

Cook Pasta: Cook the penne according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside to keep warm.
Prepare Chicken: Cut the chicken breasts horizontally to ensure even cooking. Season both sides evenly with salt and pepper.
Sear Chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large sauté pan over high heat. Add the chicken breasts and reduce the heat to medium-high. Cook for about 5 minutes on each side, removing thinner pieces earlier if needed. Once cooked through, transfer the chicken to a plate and let it rest.
Make Sauce: Lower heat to medium and add 1 teaspoon olive oil to the same pan. Sauté the finely diced garlic and lemon zest until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic.
Build Sauce: Pour in the chicken stock, half of the pesto, light cream, lemon juice, and grated Parmesan cheese. Stir well and let the sauce simmer gently for 4 to 5 minutes until slightly reduced and creamy.
Finish Chicken: Slice the rested chicken breasts. You can either return the sliced chicken along with its juices to the pan to gently warm them through in the sauce or keep the chicken separate for plating as preferred.
Combine Pasta: Add the cooked penne pasta and the remaining pesto to the pan. Toss everything thoroughly to coat the pasta and chicken evenly with the creamy pesto sauce.
Serve: Plate the creamy chicken pasta and top with extra Parmesan cheese, halved cherry tomatoes, and an additional drizzle of pesto for freshness and flavor contrast.

Notes

Can I use jarred pantry pesto rather than fresh? Absolutely! Choose a jarred pesto with good quality olive oil and real Parmesan for the best flavor.
What’s the best pasta shape? Penne or rigatoni are ideal as their ridges hold the creamy sauce nicely.
Does this reheat well? Yes! Warm gently on the stove with a splash of stock or cream to loosen the sauce as needed.
Make it extra creamy: Swap light cream for heavy cream for a richer indulgence.
Protein swap: Substitute shrimp or rotisserie chicken for convenience. If using shrimp, pan-fry them for 2 minutes per side.
Veg it up: Add baby spinach or peas towards the end of cooking, or stir in sun-dried tomatoes for more flavor.
Pasta water: If the sauce thickens too much, add a splash of reserved pasta cooking water to loosen.
Leftover pesto: Freeze in an ice cube tray for quick flavor boosts to future dishes.
Storage tips: Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days. Freezing is not recommended as cream sauces may separate.
Make-ahead tips: Cook chicken and sauce a day ahead and reheat gently before combining with pasta. Pasta can also be prepared in advance and lightly oiled to prevent sticking.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1/5 of recipe)
Calories: 480 kcal
Sugar: 3 g
Sodium: 550 mg
Fat: 18 g
Saturated Fat: 6 g
Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 45 g
Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 35 g
Cholesterol: 75 mg