Description
This Chicken and Pesto Pasta is a delightful dish bursting with flavor. Featuring tender chicken chunks, creamy pesto sauce, and a perfect blend of seasonings, it’s ideal for a quick dinner or a comforting meal that everyone will love.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 ounces rigatoni or other short pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch chunks
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- Black pepper to taste
- 2 cloves garlic grated or minced
- 1/2 cup pesto
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/4 cup heavy cream or half and half
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- Chopped fresh basil for garnish optional
Instructions
- Boil salted water and cook the pasta until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water, then drain and set aside.
- Cut chicken into 1 inch chunks, then season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
- Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes, flipping until fully cooked through (165° F).
- Reduce heat to medium-low, add garlic, and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
- Combine the cooked pasta with chicken, pesto, lemon juice, heavy cream, and parmesan cheese. Stir well until heated through; add reserved pasta water as needed. Serve garnished with fresh basil if desired.
Notes
For extra creaminess, add more heavy cream to the dish.
Use homemade pesto for a fresh burst of flavor.
Cook the chicken in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pan.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 540
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 54g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 36g
- Cholesterol: 110mg