This chicken pesto pasta comes together with a handful of simple, flavorful ingredients in less than half an hour. If you are making your own pesto the amount of time will increase. Make it a day or two ahead and save time on dinner night. (A Classic Pesto recipe follows.)
Ridged pasta like penne works especially well, as the grooves help hold onto the creamy sauce, though any shape—even spaghetti or homemade pasta—can be used. (We used gemelli here.) Boneless, skinless chicken breast provides a lean counterpoint to the richness of the sauce, while kosher salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning bring layers of savory, aromatic flavor with a bit of a kick. A good extra virgin olive oil is used to pan-sear the chicken, giving it a golden, flavorful crust.
The sauce gets its velvety texture from just a small amount of heavy cream, along with freshly grated Parmesan for deep umami flavor—block Parmesan is preferred over pre-grated for maximum taste. Sun-dried tomatoes add tangy, slightly sweet bursts of flavor and pleasant texture that balance the richness of the pesto and chicken, with halved cherry tomatoes serving as a suitable substitute if needed.
TIP: If you think you might have leftovers, save some of the pasta cooking water to add to the remains before you refrigerate. Leftovers were just as good, if not better!
Basil pesto, whether homemade or a high-quality store-bought version, ties the dish together, while a final garnish of fresh basil leaves adds brightness and helps balance the creaminess of the sauce.
Chicken Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- 8 oz. penne pasta, preferably with ridges
- 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, plus more for serving if you like
- 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, drained if packed in oil
- 1/2 cup basil pesto, homemade or quality store-bought, plus more if you like
- 1/2 to 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
- Handful of torn basil leaves, for garnish
Directions
- Add the chicken to a bowl and season with the Italian seasoning and a big pinch each of kosher salt and black pepper. Toss to coat.
- Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and salt it well with about 1 tablespoon of salt. Drop the pasta in the boiling water and cook until al dente according to package instructions (about 8 to 9 minutes).
- While the pasta is cooking, add the olive oil to a large non-stick skillet and heat over medium-high. Add the chicken and cook, tossing occasionally, until golden brown on the outside and cooked through, about 7 to 8 minutes.
- When the pasta is ready, reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water and drain.
- To the pan with the chicken, lower the heat and stir in the cooked pasta, heavy cream, parmesan, and sundried tomatoes. Stir until everything is well combined. If it looks a bit dry, add a splash of the pasta cooking water (a couple tablespoons at a time) until the pasta is glossy and coated in the creamy sauce.
- Turn off the heat and take the pan off the burner. Stir in the basil pesto and finish with a sprinkle of grated parmesan, red pepper flakes, and basil leaves. Serve.
Adapted from a recipe from themediterraneandish.com
Pesto alla Genovese
Pesto alla Genovese (Classic Basil Pesto Sauce)
Ingredients
- 2 medium cloves garlic
- 2 Tbsp. pine nuts
- 3 oz. fresh basil leaves, washed with water still clinging to the leaves (about 4 cups basil leaves)*
- Coarse sea salt, as needed
- 3/4 oz (about 2 Tbsp.) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 3/4 ounce (about 2 Tbsp.) Pecorino Romano
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup mildly flavored extra-virgin olive oil
*To preserve the bright green color, drop the basil leaves in boiling water and blanch just until they’re wilted, only 5 seconds. Immediately use tongs to transfer the basil leaves to a bowl of prepared ice water. This stops them from continuing to cook. Wrap the basil in paper towels. Squeeze to wring out all the water (or use a salad spinner) and transfer to the mortar along with the mashed garlic and pine nuts.
Directions
- Using a marble mortar and wooden pestle, pound the garlic to a paste.
- Add pine nuts and continue to crush with pestle, smashing and grinding them, until a sticky, only slightly chunky, beige paste forms.
- Add basil leaves a handful at a time and pound and grind against the walls of the mortar. Add pinch of salt with each handful to act as an abrasive. Continue until all basil leaves have been crushed to fine bits.
- Add both cheeses, then slowly drizzle in olive oil, working it into the pesto with the pestle until a fairly smooth, creamy, emulsified sauce forms. Add more oil, if desired.
- Pesto can be served with pasta right away or transferred to a jar or container, covered with a small layer of olive oil, and sealed and refrigerated overnight.
