Time saving, yet indulgent, this Chicken Pesto Pasta uses cooked, shredded chicken to turn this into an easy weeknight meal. Balanced and satisfying, this will become your new go-to comfort food.
A good pasta dinner is always a favorite! If you are a pasta lover, also check out this Penne Pasta Bake or Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta.
I know that I like eating out just as much as most people do. But sometimes, it’s just so much better at home.
I actually tend to steer clear of pasta dishes when I eat out, simply because I’m usually disappointed. Especially when you can make a dish – like this Chicken Pesto Pasta – so much better at home.
This is such a simple dinner. And it’s super fast, as well, if you have cooked, shredded chicken on hand.
But it’s not just easy and fast, it’s also delicious. So much better than going out for a pasta dinner!
Ingredients
Below are the ingredients needed for this recipe, along with some substitution ideas. Make sure to scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post to get the full amounts and instructions.
- Pasta: I like to use a short cut pasta for this recipe. Penne is my favorite, but feel free to switch this up.
- Butter: I love the flavor of the butter, but you could also use olive oil.
- Garlic: The garlic adds a lot of flavor, so I wouldn’t suggest skipping it. I always like freshly minced garlic the best.
- Cream: This is not a light recipe, and I went all out and used heavy cream. If you are wanting to lighten things up, I would suggest using half evaporated milk and half cream.
- Cheese: You will need parmesan cheese. Freshly grated is the best, as it will melt easier. If you are using pre-grated, you may have to turn the heat back on to fully melt the cheese.
- Seasoning: I like to add in some Italian seasoning. You could easily switch this up or leave it out, though.
- Pesto: You can use homemade pesto or store bought pesto. I love using homemade if I have a lot of basil on hand, but there are also some great store bought brands, as well.
- Chicken: This is a great use for pre-cooked chicken. I like to keep cooked, shredded chicken on hand (it freezes well!) but if you don’t have any on hand, you can dice and cook some chicken to add.
- Crushed Red Pepper: I like to add a bit of heat at the end with some crushed red pepper. You can add it to all of the pasta, or serve it on the side so people can add as much or as little as they want.
How to Make Chicken Pesto Pasta
- Cook the pasta in a pot of boiling water until al dente. Reserve some of the pasta water before draining the pasta.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet and melt the butter. Add the garlic and cook for a few minutes to infuse the butter with the garlic.
- Whisk in the cream, and let it cook until slightly thickened.
- Turn off the heat and start adding in the cheese in batches. Whisk to melt the cheese between additions. Stir in the Italian seasoning and the pesto.
- Add the cooked pasta to the skillet, along with the chicken. Stir everything to combine. Add some of the pasta water if the sauce is too thick.
- Serve topped with the red pepper flakes, if desired.
Chicken Pesto Pasta Video
Here is a short video showing you how to make this pasta recipe:
Tips and Tricks
- My biggest tip for this recipe is to make sure you save a mug full of the pasta water before draining the pasta. The sauce can get pretty thick since it’s heavy cream, and the pasta water is perfect for thinning out the sauce, if needed.
- This pasta is actually really good as leftovers. You can reheat in the microwave or on the stove top. If heating on the stove, you will probably need to add some extra liquid. (I like to even save some of that pasta water for reheating leftovers!)
- For some extra texture, add some toasted pine nuts to the top of the pasta before serving.
What to Serve With Chicken Pesto Pasta
This pasta dinner is great on its own, but here are some suggestions for what to serve on the side.
- Crescent Rolls with Cheese
- Sauteed Green Beans with Cherry Tomatoes
- Cheesy Garlic Bread
- Herbed Tomato Salad
- Dinner Roll Recipe
- Steph’s Summer Salad
More Delicious Pasta Recipes
Pizza Pasta
Shrimp Pasta with Poblano Cream Sauce
Tuscan Pasta with Sausage
Baked Ravioli
Easy Parmesan Pasta
Baked Mac and Cheese
LOOKING FOR MORE FREE RECIPES?
Subscribe to my free recipe newsletter to get new family friendly recipes in your inbox each week! Find me sharing more family-friendly inspiration on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram.
Chicken Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 oz penne pasta
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 3 oz parmesan cheese finely grated
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 cup prepared pesto homemade or store bought
- 8 oz cooked shredded or cubed chicken
- Crushed red pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt generously, then add the pasta. Cook until al dente. Before draining, save a mug full of the pasta water. Drain, and reserve the pasta.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat the butter in a large skillet or pan over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic. Cook for a minute or two, stirring the whole time so that the garlic doesn’t burn.
- Turn the heat back up to medium and slowly whisk in the cream. Cook the mixture until the cream has slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the parmesan cheese. Whisk until the cheese has melted, then stir in the Italian seasoning and the pesto.
- Add the pasta to the sauce, along with the shredded chicken. Stir to combine. If needed, add some of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce.
- Top with crushed red pepper before serving, if desired.
Leave a Comment...