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    Home » Quick Dinners

    Chicken Pesto Pasta

    Mar 8, 2023 by Tania Sheff · This post may contain affiliate links

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    Chicken Pesto Pasta in a skillet with Parmesan Cheese on the background
    Chicken Pesto Pasta in a skillet with Parmesan Cheese on the background

    Chicken Pesto Pasta – The combination of freshly-made basil pesto, filling pasta, and tender chicken. Treat your family with this quick and tasty dinner!

    Chicken Pesto Pasta in a skillet with Parmesan Cheese on the background

    This Chicken Pesto Pasta recipe is one of my favorite ways to eat pasta. Homemade pesto sauce adds a ton of flavor and aroma, making this dish hard to resist and easy to make.

    That’s right, it’s EASY to make pesto from scratch. Using freshly made pesto makes a world of difference, so don’t try to use the store-bought stuff. It just won’t work. The good news is the other two main ingredients (pasta and chicken) require minimum prep. Let’s talk a bit more about those ingredients, shall we?

    See This Recipe in Action

    About the Pasta

    While I am using spaghetti in this Chicken Pesto Pasta recipe, you are free to use any kind of pasta you like. Fettuccine, penne, fusilli, rigatoni, ziti, angel hair, tagliatelle, and orecchiette would all work here.

    About The Chicken

    I am using Rotisserie chicken in this recipe because it’s very tasty and a convenient option. That said, you can also buy chicken breast meat (or boneless chicken thighs), cut them into bite-sized pieces, and fry them in a small amount of olive oil, seasoned with your favorite chicken seasoning.

    chicken pesto pasta on a plate

    About the Basil Pesto

    Basil Pesto is made with the following ingredients:

    • Fresh Basil. You can also use some fresh kale leaves, or baby spinach if you are going for a milder flavor (50:50 ratio).
    • Pine Nuts. Pine nuts can be substituted with toasted cashews or walnuts successfully.
    • Garlic.
    • Parmigiano Reggiano. The better the quality, the better the taste.
    • Olive Oil. Extra Virgin Olive Oil is recommended for the best flavor.
    • Salt & Pepper.

    Interesting read: The Many Benefits of Pesto Sauce

    You can also use this Creamy Pesto Sauce instead.

    How to Make Chicken Pesto Pasta

    1.Cook the pasta in a pot of salted, boiling water according to package instructions to your desired doneness. Reserve about ⅓ cup of cooking water.

    2. While the pasta is cooking, make the basil pesto. Place the basil leaves, toasted pine nuts, and garlic into a food processor and pulse several times. Add the remaining ingredients and process until very smooth. Set aside.

    making homemade pesto in a food processor

    3. Pull the meat from the rotisserie chicken and shred.

    pulling the meat from rotisserie chicken

    4. Combine the hot pasta, pesto sauce, shredded chicken, and about ¼ cup of reserved pasta water (or more, if needed). Garnish with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and toasted pine nuts. Serve immediately.

    mixing together pasta, pesto, and chicken
    Chicken Pesto Pasta in a skillet with Parmesan Cheese on the background

    How to store Chicken Pesto Pasta?

    Store it in the refrigerator, covered with a tight lid for up to 3 days.

    How to Reheat Chicken Pesto Pasta?

    Warm up the leftover pasta on the stove, over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until hot.

    Can I make it creamy?

    Yes, add ⅓ cup of warm heavy cream, instead of the hot water in step 4.

    More Easy Pasta Dinner recipes to try:

    • Chicken and Shrimp Pasta
    • Chicken Angel Hair Pasta
    • Salmon Pasta with Spinach
    • Shrimp Fettuccine
    • Chermoula Sauce
    Lodge Cast Iron Caserole
    Chicken Pesto Pasta in a skillet with Parmesan Cheese on the background

    Chicken Pesto Pasta

    Tania Sheff
    Chicken Pesto Pasta – The combination of freshly-made basil pesto, filling pasta, and tender chicken. Treat your family with this quick and tasty dinner!
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 15 mins
    Total Time 30 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 787 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    For Basil Pesto:

    • 2 cups fresh basil leaves packed
    • ½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese about 2 ounces
    • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
    • ⅓ cup toasted pine nuts can sub for cashews or walnuts
    • 2 large garlic cloves minced
    • ¼ teaspoon salt more to taste
    • ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper more to taste

    For the Pasta:

    • 16 oz. spaghetti or your favorite pasta (1 package)
    • 1 small rotisserie chicken
    • grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and pine nuts to garnish

    Instructions
     

    • Cook the pasta in a pot of salted, boiling water according to package instructions to your desired doneness. Reserve about ⅓ cup of cooking water.
    • While the pasta is cooking, make the basil pesto. Place the basil leaves, toasted pine nuts, and garlic into a food processor and pulse several times. Add the remaining ingredients and process until very smooth. Set aside.
    • Pull the meat from the rotisserie chicken and shred.
    • Combine the hot pasta, pesto sauce, shredded chicken, and about ¼ cup of reserved pasta water (or more, if needed). Garnish with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and toasted pine nuts. Serve immediately.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 787kcalCarbohydrates: 58gProtein: 58gFat: 37gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 125mgSodium: 624mgPotassium: 707mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 555IUVitamin C: 1.7mgCalcium: 155mgIron: 2.7mg
    Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below, I can't wait to hear from you!

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    Filed Under: All Recipes, Dinner, Lunch, Meat and poultry, Pasta, Quick Dinners

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Rezeda says

      April 25, 2020 at 1:02 am

      5 stars
      Looks yummy!

      Reply
      • Tania Sheff says

        April 27, 2020 at 10:09 pm

        Thank you! 🙂

        Reply
    2. Nancy Perine says

      May 17, 2019 at 7:33 am

      5 stars
      Hi there! I had so much fun wandering around your blog site. The Chicken Pesto Pasta caught my eye. I had a Rotisserie chicken just begging to be used and I always have pine nuts on hand. Love them! I sauteed them in butter.We have an herb garden down behind our condo, so fresh basil is in abundance. I used grated parmesan cheese 'cause that's what I had in the refrig. and pulsed everything in the food processor. I boiled angel hair pasta and after draining it well, mixed it with warm heavy cream (as you suggested). This dish turned out great and was a big hit. Thanks for sharing!

      Aloha, Nancy On Maui

      Reply
      • Tania Sheff says

        May 17, 2019 at 11:53 pm

        Hi Nancy! Thank you so much for sharing your experience! I am glad you liked this recipe. It's simple and filling. Glad to hear you have a herb garden. We also grow herbs and some veggies in the backyard. We are actually hoping to move to a house with more land in about two years, so we can grow our own food. 🙂
        Best of luck to you and thanks for stopping by!

        Reply
    3. Trudy says

      April 20, 2019 at 12:36 pm

      5 stars
      This was excellent! I loved how easy it was too!

      Reply
      • Tania says

        April 20, 2019 at 10:31 pm

        Thank you so much, Trudy!

        Reply

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    My name is Tania. I create quick, healthy, and wholesome meals. Let's get to know each other, shall we? Read More…

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