Description
A quick and creamy chicken pasta dish with fresh basil pesto, perfect for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
Scale
- 500 g boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 30 ml olive oil
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- 400 g dry pasta (penne, fusilli, or rigatoni)
- 120 g basil pesto
- 120 ml heavy cream or Greek yogurt
- 50 g grated Parmesan cheese
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 15 ml lemon juice
- Fresh basil leaves and cracked pepper for finishing
Instructions
- Season and sear the chicken: Pat chicken dry, season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, sear chicken for 3-4 minutes per side. Let rest before slicing.
- Cook the pasta: Boil salted water, add pasta, cook until just shy of al dente. Reserve pasta water, drain.
- Build the sauce in the skillet: Reduce heat, sauté minced garlic, add pesto and heavy cream, warm until glossy. Adjust sauce consistency with reserved pasta water.
- Combine pasta and sauce: Toss drained pasta in the skillet, add Parmesan and lemon zest.
- Finish with chicken: Slice chicken, toss with lemon juice, fresh basil and serve hot.
Notes
For a lighter sauce, substitute heavy cream with Greek yogurt. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 680
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 36g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 52g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 125mg