Chicken Pesto Pasta
Tender chicken breast tossed with fresh basil pesto and al dente pasta for a light, flavorful Italian dinner. Ready in under 30 minutes with simple, quality ingredients.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 680
- Protein
- 52g
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 lb pasta (linguine or fettuccine)
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves
- 3 cloves garlic cloves
- ½ cup pine nuts
- ¾ cup parmesan cheese, grated
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- 1
Make the pesto: combine basil, garlic, pine nuts, and 0.5 teaspoon salt in a food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped.
- 2
Add parmesan cheese and pulse again. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while pulsing until pesto reaches desired consistency.
- 3
Stir in lemon juice and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- 4
Pat chicken breasts dry and season both sides with salt and pepper.
- 5
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken for 6-7 minutes per side until golden and internal temperature reaches 165°F. Transfer to cutting board and let rest 5 minutes.
- 6
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 9-11 minutes. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
- 7
Slice the rested chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- 8
In a large bowl, toss warm pasta with pesto sauce, adding pasta water 1/4 cup at a time until desired consistency is reached.
- 9
Top with sliced chicken, additional parmesan cheese, and fresh basil. Serve immediately.
Tools you’ll need
- food processor
- 12-inch stainless steel skillet
- large pot
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- meat thermometer
- large mixing bowl
- wooden spoon
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