Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta
Tender, seasoned chicken and sun-dried tomatoes tossed with penne in a creamy pesto sauce for a quick, flavorful weeknight dinner.
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Medium pot
- Colander
- Large nonstick skillet
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Tongs or spatula
Ingredients
Main
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- to taste Kosher salt
- to taste Black pepper
- 8 ounce penne pasta, preferably with ridges
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese plus more for serving if desired
- 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes drained if packed in oil
- 1/2 cup basil pesto homemade or quality store-bought
- 1/2-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- handful basil leaves torn, for garnish
Instructions
Instructions
- Place the chicken in a bowl and toss with Italian seasoning, a generous pinch of kosher salt, and black pepper to coat.
- Bring a medium pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook the penne until al dente according to package directions (about 8–9 minutes).
- While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high and cook the chicken, tossing occasionally, until golden and cooked through, about 7–8 minutes.
- When the pasta is done, reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta.
- Lower the skillet heat and add the drained pasta, heavy cream, parmesan, and sun-dried tomatoes to the cooked chicken; stir to combine and add a few tablespoons of reserved pasta water if the sauce seems dry or thick.
- Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the basil pesto, then finish with extra grated parmesan, red pepper flakes, and torn basil leaves before serving.
Notes
If the sauce becomes too thick, add reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time until glossy. Drain sun-dried tomatoes if packed in oil; adjust pesto and red pepper flakes to taste. Leftovers keep 3–4 days refrigerated and reheat gently with a splash of cream or water to loosen the sauce.