Description
This Easy Chicken Pesto Pasta is a flavorful and quick weeknight dinner that combines tender chicken, fresh vegetables, and vibrant basil pesto with perfectly cooked penne pasta. Ready in just 30 minutes, it's a delicious and satisfying meal that’s simple to prepare and sure to please the whole family.
Ingredients
Pasta
- 8 ounces penne pasta (or other short pasta shape)
Chicken
- 1 ¼ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Vegetables & Herbs
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 cups chopped fresh spinach (loosely packed)
- chopped fresh basil (optional, for serving)
Sauce & Garnish
- 1 cup basil pesto (homemade or store-bought)
- ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
- red pepper flakes (optional, for serving)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta, but do not rinse it to keep starches for better sauce adherence.
- Season and cook the chicken: While the pasta cooks, season the cubed chicken with Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 5-6 minutes until it is nearly cooked through.
- Add vegetables: Add the halved cherry tomatoes to the skillet with the chicken and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked through. Stir in the chopped fresh spinach just until wilted, then remove the pan from heat.
- Combine pasta and sauce: Add the cooked pasta, 2 tablespoons of reserved pasta water, and the basil pesto to the skillet. Stir everything together, adding more pasta water as needed to achieve a smooth, even coating on the pasta.
- Garnish and serve: Sprinkle the toasted pine nuts over the pasta, add chopped fresh basil and red pepper flakes if desired, and serve immediately for a fresh and flavorful meal.
Notes
- You can substitute penne pasta with other short pasta shapes like fusilli or rigatoni.
- If you prefer, use store-bought pesto to save time.
- For a creamier sauce, stir in a splash of pasta cooking water or a little cream.
- Adjust seasoning to taste, especially salt and pepper, depending on your pesto.
- Adding red pepper flakes gives a nice spicy kick but is optional.
- To save time, cook chicken and prepare pesto in advance.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
