Description
Creamy chicken pesto pasta made with tender seasoned chicken, roasted cherry tomatoes, and a rich basil pesto cream sauce. This easy family-friendly dinner is full of bold flavor and comes together in just 40 minutes, perfect for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
Scale
- 10 oz cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1.5 lb chicken breast, skinless and boneless, thinly sliced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- 8 oz pasta (bow-tie, penne, or fusilli)
- ¼ cup basil pesto
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup pine nuts (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Toss cherry tomatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil and minced garlic, then spread in a casserole dish.
- Roast tomatoes for 20 minutes until blistered and caramelized.
- Season sliced chicken with salt, black pepper, and paprika.
- Heat remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Sear chicken for about 5 minutes per side until golden and fully cooked, then slice and set aside.
- Cook pasta in salted boiling water according to package instructions until al dente, then drain.
- Add pasta to the skillet with pesto and heavy cream, stirring over medium heat until creamy.
- Add sliced chicken, roasted tomatoes with juices, and pine nuts.
- Stir gently, adjust seasoning if needed, and serve immediately.
Notes
For a lighter version, substitute half-and-half for heavy cream or use whole wheat pasta for added fiber. Avoid high heat when combining the sauce to prevent separation.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 764
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 511mg
- Fat: 42g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 22g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 49g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 47g
- Cholesterol: 151mg
Keywords: creamy chicken pesto pasta, chicken pesto pasta recipe, easy pasta dinner, family dinner