Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta

Name: Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon unsalted butter; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 pound chicken breasts (chopped into 1-2” pieces); salt and pepper; 8 oz. (about 3 cups) cavatappi pasta (-see notes); 4 garlic cloves, minced; pinch -1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (-optional); 2 tablespoons cornstarch; 3 cups reduced sodium chicken broth; 1 12 oz. can evaporated milk; 1 teaspoon granulated chicken bouillon; 1 teaspoon dried parsley; 1/2 tsp EACH dried oregano, dried thyme, onion powder; 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese; ¼ -1/3 cup basil pesto; 2 tablespoons lemon juice; 1 cup frozen petite peas, thawed

Instructions

Prep:10minCook:15min

This creamy chicken pesto pasta is a must have recipe for your easy dinner arsenal! It’s a vibrant, comforting dream dressed in a creamy yet light aromatic basil pesto sauce spiked with nutty Parmesan and lemon juice (without any heavy cream!). All the ingredients are simmered in one pot (yes, even the pasta!), which makes for an astonishingly easy, flavor-packed dish you’ll definitely want seconds of. This chicken pesto pasta is stand alone fabulous but also extremely flexible. You can swap the chicken for Italian sausage or add sun-dried tomatoes, veggies, or a blanket of mozzarella- because it’s all about the sauce. Serve this chicken pesto pasta recipe with garlic bread and tomato cucumber salad for an easy one pot weeknight dinner win!

Updated at: Sun, 30 Mar 2025 06:03:34 GMT