Chicken pesto pasta is flavor packed, easy to make weeknight dinner. It has fresh basil flavors from homemade pesto and is quick and easy to make!
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Ingredients needed
Below photo shows what you need for quick chicken pesto pasta recipe-
Fresh homemade basil walnut pesto recipe is amazing! It takes minutes to make and goes perfectly with this pasta dish!
This is the perfect recipe to use up all the fresh basil from your garden.
Pasta – what pasta is best for pesto sauce pasta? My favorite is spaghetti noodles pasta, bucatini, angle hair, linguine or tagiatelle. When it comes to shaped pasta – I love to use penne or bow tie. Rigatoni or fusilli can also be used!
Pesto – fresh homemade version is a million times better. Try this out and you’ll agree! For convenience you can use store bought pesto.
Chicken – I used chicken breasts. Boneless thighs can be used as well. Other option is to use seafood – shrimps are great in pasta.
Chicken Seasoning – salt and freshly ground pepper along with Italian seasoning is all you need. You can add more flavors if you wish. Spices like cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder or any other spice powders can be included!
EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil – use good quality olive oil for better taste.
Fresh Tomato Salsa – I love adding fresh tomato salsa to vibrant green fresh pesto pasta. It adds flavor to pasta.
Garnish –
Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated
Toasted Walnuts
Fresh basil leaves
How to make chicken pesto pasta(with step-by-step pictures)
You’ll need pesto sauce for this recipe. Try this homemade basil walnut pesto. It’s simple, easy to make and best for stirring in pasta.
- Season chicken breast with salt, freshly ground pepper and Italian seasoning on both sides.
- Heat EVOO in cast iron pan or a skillet. Cook seasoned chicken breasts in hot oil until seared golden brown on both sides and cooked through. Don’t overcook chicken, it’ll turn dry and rubbery.
- Remove chicken from pan and let it rest for few minutes.
- Slice chicken breasts into smaller pieces. Leave it aside.
- Cook pasta is boiling water seasoned with generous amount of salt and little olive oil. Cook pasta as per packet instructions. Pasta should be cooked al-dente.
- I recommend you transfer cooked pasta using tongs to a dry pot. No need to drain it. And definitely DO NOT RINSE the pasta.
- NOTE: Never stir in pesto sauce into the pasta on hot stove. It will turn black as basil leaves will begin to cook.
- Pour pesto sauce over cooked pasta. Toss gently to coat pasta with pesto evenly.
- The starchy pasta with it’s liquids helps the pesto sauce adhere and soak into the noodles. No need to add loads of olive oil to toss the pasta with pesto. Pasta cooking water (about ¼ to ½ cup or as required) can do the magic of making a creamy pesto pasta.
- Add in seared chicken breasts cut into pieces.
- Top it with fresh tomato salsa if you like, you can skip salsa if you don’t like it.
- Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, few fresh basil leaves and toasted crushed walnuts.
- Serve it as it is or stir chicken into the pasta and serve.
Best served immediately warm.
Helpful tips to make best chicken pesto pasta
- Highly recommend you make your own fresh homemade pesto sauce. It makes a world of difference in terms of freshness and taste.
- Though you can use any pasta for this recipe, consider choosing one of these – Spaghetti noodles – bucatini, tagiatelle, linguine, angle hair, Penne pasta, Bow tie, Rigatoni, Fusilli, Chickpea pasta (gluten-free pasta option), Zucchini noodles (for healthier option).
- Always cook pasta in salted water and al-dente. Never overcook pasta.
- Do NOT drain and rinse pasta.
- Transfer cooked pasta using tongs to dry bowl or skillet before tossing it with pesto sauce. If you stir in pesto sauce on hot stove, it will turn black.
- Use pasta cooking water to emulsify the sauce. You’ll have creamy pasta in pesto sauce.
- Add any protein (chicken, shrimp) of your choice to this pesto pasta or skip meat or seafood to keep it vegetarian.
- Always serve pasta with pesto sauce immediately, warm. As it sits on the counter it begins to turn black.
- Any leftovers should be store in proper air tight containers in the fridge. Do not reheat stored pasta. Simply bring the pasta to room temperature and serve.
FAQS
Here’s my favorite go-to, easy basil walnut pesto recipe. You definitely want to give this a try. Or use your own pesto sauce recipe. For convenience you can opt in store bought pesto sauce.
If you are wondering which pasta is best with pesto, you can use any pasta that’s your favorite! My personal choice of pasta would be spaghetti noodles pasta, bucatini, angle hair, linguine or tagliatelle. When it comes to shaped pasta – I love to use penne or bow tie. Rigatoni or fusilli can also be used!
For gluten-free options – you can use chickpea pasta. For healthy eating use zucchini noodles.
For every 1 lb (14 ounces or 450 grams) pasta use 1 cup fresh basil pesto sauce.
Feel free to add more pesto sauce or reduce it if you think it’ll be too much. This recipe gives you super saucy pasta drenched in pesto sauce. We are being liberal here – the way we like it!
It’s best to serve this pasta immediately, nice and warm. But if you do have leftovers, transfer into proper air tight containers and store in fridge. You can keep it for a day. Longer storage = pesto sauce changes it color turning pasta darker.
To serve stored pasta, simply bring it to room temperature and serve. DO NOT REHEAT PASTA stirred in pesto sauce. It will turn black.
MORE DELICIOUS PASTA RECIPES-
Garlic Shrimp Pasta In Creamy Sauce
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📋RECIPE: Chicken Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 lb 14 oz or 450 grams spaghetti pasta, you can also use penne, fusilli or other pasta
- ½ cup pasta cooking water
- 1 cup fresh basil walnut pesto
- 2 chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 2 tablespoon olive oil EVOO
- ½ cup fresh tomato diced (tomato salsa)
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil leaves chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Try this homemade basil walnut pesto. It’s simple, easy to make and best for stirring in pasta.
- Season chicken breast with salt, freshly ground pepper and Italian seasoning on both sides.
- Heat EVOO in cast iron pan or a skillet. Cook seasoned chicken breasts in hot oil until seared golden brown on both sides and cooked through. Don’t overcook chicken, it’ll turn dry and rubbery.
- Remove chicken from pan and let it rest for few minutes.
- Slice chicken breasts into smaller pieces. Leave it aside.
- Cook pasta is boiling water seasoned with generous amount of salt and little olive oil. Cook pasta as per packet instructions. Pasta should be cooked al-dente.
- I recommend you transfer cooked pasta using tongs to a dry pot. No need to drain it. And definitely DO NOT RINSE the pasta.NOTE: Never stir in pesto sauce into the pasta on hot stove. It will turn black as basil leaves will begin to cook.
- Pour pesto sauce over cooked pasta. Toss gently to coat pasta with pesto evenly.
- The starchy pasta with it’s liquids helps the pesto sauce adhere and soak into the noodles. No need to add loads of olive oil to toss the pasta with pesto. Pasta cooking water (about ¼ to ½ cup or as required) can do the magic of making a creamy pesto pasta.
- Add in seared chicken breasts cut into pieces.
- Top it with fresh tomato salsa if you like, you can skip salsa if you don’t like it.
- Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, few fresh basil leaves and toasted crushed walnuts.
- Serve it as it is or stir chicken into the pasta and serve.
- Best served immediately warm.
Video
Notes
- Highly recommend fresh homemade pesto sauce. It makes a world of difference in terms of freshness and taste.
- Though you can use any pasta for this recipe, consider choosing one of these – spaghetti noodles – bucatini, tagliatelle, linguine, angle hair, penne pasta, bow tie, rigatoni, fusilli, chickpea pasta (gluten-free pasta option), zucchini noodles (for healthier option).
- Always cook pasta al-dente. Never overcook pasta.
- Do NOT drain or rinse pasta once cooked.
- Transfer cooked pasta using tongs to dry bowl or skillet before tossing it with pesto sauce. If you stir in pesto sauce on hot stove, it will turn black.
- Use pasta cooking water to emulsify the sauce. You’ll have creamy pasta in pesto sauce.
- Add any protein (chicken, shrimp) of your choice to this pesto pasta or skip meat or seafood to keep it vegetarian.
- Always serve pasta with pesto sauce immediately, warm. As it sits on the counter it begins to turn black.
- Any leftovers should be store in proper air tight containers in the fridge. Do not reheat stored pasta. Simply bring the pasta to room temperature and serve.
Comments & Reviews
Sonia Lay says
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