Description
Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta is a rich and flavorful dish featuring tender pan-seared chicken, roasted cherry tomatoes, and pasta tossed in a creamy basil pesto sauce, topped with optional pine nuts for a delicious crunch.
Ingredients
Scale
- 10 oz cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (for tomatoes)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (for chicken)
- 1.5 lb chicken breast (2 skinless, boneless)
- 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 oven to 400°F. Toss cherry tomatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil and minced garlic. Spread in a casserole dish and roast for 20 minutes.
- Slice each chicken breast in half horizontally. Season with salt, pepper, and paprika.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken for about 5 minutes per side or until cooked through. Remove and slice thinly.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions and drain.
- In the same skillet used for chicken, add cooked pasta, basil pesto, and heavy cream. Stir gently and simmer until sauce coats the pasta.
- Top with sliced chicken, roasted tomatoes, and optional pine nuts.
- Season with extra salt, pepper, or crushed red pepper flakes if desired. Serve warm.
Notes
- Substitute with gluten-free pasta for a gluten-free version.
- Use rotisserie chicken for a faster meal.
- Add spinach or arugula for extra greens.
- Adjust pesto and cream ratio to taste.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 620
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 460mg
- Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 42g
- Cholesterol: 130mg