Description
One Pot Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta is a rich, flavorful dish featuring chicken, pesto, and creamy sauce. Ready in under 30 minutes, it’s perfect for weeknight meals.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (450g) chicken breast, diced
- 3 cups (720ml) chicken broth
- 12 oz (340g) penne pasta
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
- 1 cup (240g) pesto sauce (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 cup (100g) cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup (50g) grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh basil leaves for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté diced chicken for 5-7 minutes until golden and cooked through. Set aside.
- In the same pot, sauté garlic for 1 minute. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, add penne pasta, stir, cover, and simmer for 10-12 minutes until pasta is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
- Reduce heat, stir in heavy cream and pesto sauce, and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add halved cherry tomatoes and Parmesan cheese, stirring until well mixed.
- If the sauce is too thick, add some reserved pasta water. Serve hot, garnished with fresh basil and extra Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- For a lighter version, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half or coconut milk.
- If you prefer a vegetarian option, swap chicken for chickpeas or more veggies like spinach or bell peppers.
- Reserve some pasta water to help adjust sauce consistency if needed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 34g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 40g
- Cholesterol: 90mg
Keywords: One Pot Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta, creamy pesto chicken pasta, one pot chicken pasta, pesto pasta, easy weeknight pasta dish, chicken and pesto pasta