Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta
25 minutes. Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta. Alredo-style pasta with green pesto and crispy seared chicken. Easy recipe, easy weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
- 150 g/5.5 oz pasta, shells or orecchiette
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 3/4 cup/200 ml heavy cream, or half-and-half
- 1/3 cup/40 g grated Parmesan, more for serving
- salt + black pepper
- toasted pine nuts, for serving
- 40 g/1.5 oz basil leaves
- 40 g/1.5 oz toasted pine nuts
- 1/3 cup/80 ml olive oil
- 1/4 cup/30 g grated Parmesan
- salt + black pepper
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Directions
- 1
Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling generously salted water, until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water.
- 2
Make the pesto. Combine the basil, pine nuts, Parmesan, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a food processor or blender. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Continue blending until the pesto is well blended but still has some texture.
- 3
Add olive oil and half of the butter to a deep nonstick skillet or pan, melt over medium heat. Add the chicken, season with salt and pepper, cook until the chicken is browned and crispy on the outside, about 5 minutes. Remove from skillet.
- 4
Add the remaining butter to the skillet. Add garlic, sauté for 2 minutes. Pour cream and bring to a boil. Stir to dissolve any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Add pesto and cooked chicken. Season with extra black pepper. Toss in pasta and add Parmesan, stir until the cheese is melted. Add a splash of cooking water if needed. Remove the skillet from heat.
- 5
Serve with grated Parmesan and toasted pine nuts. Enjoy!