Description
A creamy, flavorful chicken pesto pasta dish that’s simple to prepare yet tastes like a gourmet meal. Perfect for family dinners or entertaining guests!
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz pasta of choice
- 2 medium chicken breasts, seasoned and cooked
- 1 cup fresh pesto (homemade or store-bought)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Olive oil, for cooking
- Optional: fresh basil and Parmesan for garnish
Instructions
- Cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water and drain.
- Season and cook the chicken in olive oil until golden and fully cooked. Set aside.
- Prepare the cream sauce by combining heavy cream and Parmesan cheese over low heat. Stir until smooth.
- Mix the cream sauce, pesto, and cooked chicken into the pasta. Adjust the consistency with reserved pasta water if needed.
- Garnish with fresh basil and Parmesan before serving.
Notes
- For a lighter version, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream.
- Add vegetables like cherry tomatoes or spinach for extra flavor.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 750mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 80mg