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This Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta is the definition of a crowd-pleaser! It’s a dish that’s hearty, fresh, and makes for great leftovers (that is, if you don’t eat the whole pan!).
My daughter, Sutton, came back from camp raving about the pesto pasta they made. I kept making variations of it at home and it was never *quite right.* That is, until I landed on this version, which got the Sutton stamp of approval. It is now one of daughter’s most-requested meals. It’s creamy and cozy, but packed with veggies and herbs so I can still feel good about feeding it to my kids.
Featuring juicy chicken, perfectly al dente pasta, and bright, sweet peas all tossed in a deliciously creamy sauce, this meal is sure to please the whole family. I have a feeling that it’s going to quickly become part of your weekly meal rotation!
Ingredients:
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
- Kosher Salt
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Casarecce Pasta
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Unsalted Butter
- Heavy Cream
- Basil Pesto
- Grated Parmesan Cheese
- Frozen Peas
- Fresh Basil
Step-by-Step:
Step One: boil the water
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
step two: prep and season the chicken
Meanwhile, place the chicken breasts on a cutting board and cover with parchment paper or plastic wrap. Using a meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy skillet, pound the chicken until it is a uniform 1/2-inch thickness. Pat dry with paper towels. Season both sides with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Set aside.
Step three: cook the pasta
When the water reaches a boil, add the uncooked pasta and a big pinch of salt (about 1 tablespoon) and cook until al dente, according to package directions. When the pasta is tender, reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta. Set aside.
Step four: cook the chicken
Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a clean plate and set aside.
Step four: make the sauce
Reduce the heat in the skillet to medium low. Melt the butter, then add the heavy cream and pesto and stir, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the Parmesan and stir until melted and well combined, about 2 minutes.
Step five: combine the pasta and the sauce
Add the pasta, reserved pasta water, 1 teaspoon salt, and frozen peas. Cook, stirring, until the pasta is well coated in the sauce and the peas are tender, about 3 minutes. Taste and add more salt, as desired.
Step six: finish and serve!
Remove from the heat and stir in the basil. Slice the chicken breasts and nestle on top of the pasta, then garnish with more grated Parmesan and fresh basil. Enjoy!
Recipe FAQs:
You sure can! I love to sub fusilli in this recipe when needed.
Absolutely! This meal is super easy to customize based on what you have on hand. Broccoli has worked for me in a pinch, but cut asparagus or green beans are also great options.
There are dairy-free substitutes you can use for butter and Parmesan cheese, and you can always swap full-fat coconut cream instead of heavy cream. It won’t have the exact same creaminess, but those swaps are a great way to make this into a creamy dairy-free option.
I hope your family loves this Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta as much as mine does! Let me know what you think after you try it.
Looking for more family-friendly pasta dishes? Try these!
Sausage, Broccoli, and Pesto Pasta
Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 16 ounces casarecce pasta
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup basil pesto
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced basil leaves, plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Meanwhile, place the chicken breasts on a cutting board and cover with parchment paper or plastic wrap. Using a meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy skillet, pound the chicken until it is a uniform 1/2-inch thickness. Pat dry with paper towels. Season both sides with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Set aside.
- When the water reaches a boil, add the uncooked pasta and a big pinch of salt (about 1 tablespoon) and cook until al dente, according to package directions. When the pasta is tender, reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta. Set aside.
- Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a clean plate and set aside.
- When the pasta is tender, reserve ½ cup of the pasta water and drain the pasta. Set aside.
- Reduce the heat in the skillet to medium low. Melt the butter, then add the heavy cream and pesto and stir, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the Parmesan and stir until melted and well combined, about 2 minutes.
- Add the pasta, reserved pasta water, 1 teaspoon salt, and frozen peas. Cook, stirring, until the pasta is well coated in the sauce and the peas are tender, about 3 minutes. Taste and add more salt, as desired.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the basil. Slice the chicken breasts and nestle on top of the pasta, then garnish with more grated Parmesan and fresh basil. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Food Photography and Styling by Eat Love Eats.
Great weeknight meal and my two kids even ate it without complaining! The intensity of flavor depends on your jarred pesto, I would prefer more garlic, but the recipe as-is was a winner for a family meal.
It’s such a good one for the whole family!
Very rarely does a recipe turn out perfectly with no tweaks needed but this one does just that! Perfect school day meal – delicious, simple and a crowd pleaser!
The creamy pesto chicken pasta recipe was amazing and easy to pull together! My family loved it! Thank you!