My chicken pesto pasta recipe tosses seared chicken and pasta in a Parmesan-pesto cream sauce made with homemade or store-bought basil pesto. I love topping this easy pasta dinner with lots of Parmigiano Reggiano and fresh basil leaves for more Italian charm.
I really, really love pasta. It must be the Italian in me… I’ll never say no to a bowl of Cacio E Pepe or a huge slice of Classic Lasagna Bolognese. Whether it’s a Sunday dinner, a date night, or a holiday, you’ll always find pasta on my menus.
Chicken Pesto Pasta
I believe that every home cook needs an easy pesto pasta recipe in their repertoire. And if you don’t have one yet, this easy chicken and pesto pasta is a great place to start. It’s a simple meal rooted in Italian-American cuisine, tossing pasta and chicken in a cream-based basil pesto sauce that feels indulgent but is actually perfectly balanced by the punchy pesto.
I am Italian myself, but this dish is closer to what you’d find in an Italian-American restaurant than in Northern Italy. The simple ingredients and homemade basil pesto give it that close-to-authentic Italian charm, but all the comfort of an American-style pesto pasta recipe.
In my house, we absolutely devoured this dish. I’m talking zero leftovers. This was my daughter’s first time trying pesto, and even she cleaned her plate. She’s already asking when we’re having it again, and that’s absolutely fine by me because this is quick and easy weeknight comfort food at its very finest.
Ingredients and Substitutions
We’re going for fresh, indulgent flavors here, even though my recipe doesn’t call for many ingredients.
- Chicken – You’ll need boneless, skinless chicken breasts. This is one of those dishes where ready-made shredded chicken or store-bought rotisserie chicken works well as a time-saver.
- Finely Diced Aromatics – Sautéed shallots and garlic cloves.
- Cream – It turns the pesto into a creamy pasta sauce. Half-and-half also works here.
- Parmigiano Reggiano – Grating the cheese fresh from the block is non-negotiable. If you can’t find a block of Parmigiano, look for a good Pecorino Romano or a sharp Grana Padano instead.
- Pesto – I usually make my Classic Pesto Genovese, but a high-quality store-bought basil pesto is just as good.
- Pasta – I chose rigatoni to make sure I get some of the pesto cream sauce in each bite.
- Pasta Water – Reserve about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining the rest. It’s the starchy secret behind an emulsified pasta sauce that clings to every noodle.
- Salt and Pepper – To taste.
How to Make Pesto Pasta with Chicken
Season the chicken: Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat, and season the chicken with salt and pepper.
Sear the chicken: Sear the chicken in the hot pan until it’s cooked through, then chop it into bite-sized pieces.
Cook the pasta: Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente.
Sauté the aromatics: While the pasta cooks, sauté the shallots and garlic with a small pinch of salt in the same pan used for the chicken.
Deglaze: Add some of the starchy pasta cooking water to the pan with the aromatics and let it reduce.
Emulsify the sauce: Add the heavy cream and let it simmer until it begins to thicken.
Add Chese and Pesto: Next, stir in the cheese and pesto until the sauce is smooth and combined.
Toss together: After draining the pasta, add it to the pan with the sauce, along with the seared chicken, any remaining cheese, and reserved pasta water. Toss everything together until the pasta is well coated.
Garnish: Garnish with extra Parmigiano Reggiano, a pinch of red pepper flakes, and fresh basil leaves before serving.
Chef Tip + Notes
Keep in mind that this pasta dish has a lot of moving parts. I’d love to have multiple sets of hands to sear the chicken, boil the pasta, and make the sauce all at the same time, but time-saving tricks will have to do. When I’m feeling rushed, I’ll boil the pasta and finish the pesto cream sauce before searing the chicken. I’ll just keep the sauce on the lowest heat setting and save extra pasta water to loosen it if it thickens.
- Cooking fresh pesto: I find that pesto loses its bright green color and herbaceous flavor when it’s heated too long or cooked at a high temperature. That’s why I fold it in at the very end, just to warm it through.
- Taste and tweak: I always taste the pesto sauce before I plate this dish. Since pesto and Parmigiano are naturally salty, I usually don’t need much extra salt. Most of the time, all I need is a crack of fresh black pepper or a pinch of red pepper flakes.
- Add-ins and extras: This pasta can be customized with add-ins, such as pan-seared mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, halved cherry tomatoes, broccoli florets, asparagus, peas, or fresh baby spinach. For extra crunch, consider garnishes like toasted pine nuts or some crispy bacon.
- Swap the protein: Pesto pasta with chicken is a classic, but browned Italian sausage and pan-seared shrimp also pair well with the basil and cream.
Serving Suggestions
For a full-on Italian-inspired meal, I’ll serve pesto pasta alongside a simple arugula salad dressed with lemon vinaigrette or go with a classic Caesar salad. Some freshly baked focaccia is great at soaking up the sauce pooled on the bottom of my plate, too.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: Pasta dishes with cream-based sauces like this are best served fresh off the stove. When I need to save time, I’ll sear the chicken or make the pesto sauce and store them separately in the fridge overnight.
How to Store: If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
How to Reheat: The pasta will soak up the pesto cream sauce as it sits, so I’d recommend reheating the leftovers in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of milk or cream.
More Pasta Recipes
Chicken Pesto Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ peeled small-diced shallot
- 2 finely minced garlic cloves
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- 1 cup starchy pasta water + more
- ½ cup pesto
- 1 pound rigatoni
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Season the chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Next, add the olive oil to a large saucier pan (5-quart) over medium heat and heat for 2 minutes. Place the seasoned chicken in the pan and cook for 5 to 7 minutes per side, or until it reaches 165° internally. Feel free to lower the heat and cook for longer if you are worried that things are burning. Large dice the chicken and set it aside, covered, to keep warm.
- After I flip the chicken, I add the pasta to a large pot of boiling, salted water. It takes roughly 12 to 13 minutes for al dente pasta. You can wait until the sauce is completely done before dropping the pasta if this makes you nervous.
- While the pasta is cooking and the chicken is removed from the pan, add the shallots and garlic to the pan, along with a gentle seasoning of salt, and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes, or until lightly browned.
- Next, add 2 to 3 ounces of the starchy pasta water to deglaze. Cook just until 1 to 2 tablespoons remain.
- Pour in the cream and cook until it thickens, which takes about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add ½ cup of the cheese and the pesto, then stir to combine.
- Once the pasta is done, add it to the saucepan along with the cut-up chicken, remaining cheese, and 5 to 6 ounces of starchy pasta water and toss until the pasta is completely coated.
- Serve the pasta with optional garnishes of Parmigiano Reggiano, pepper flakes, and whole basil leaves.
Chicken Pesto Pasta Recipe