This chicken pesto pasta is sauteed chicken, farfalle pasta and cherry tomatoes, all tossed in basil pesto and finished off with parmesan cheese. A quick and easy dinner option that always gets rave reviews!
Pasta is easy, inexpensive and kid friendly which means we eat it all the time at my house! Some of our favorites include Pasta al Forno, pasta bolognese and this easy pesto pasta with chicken.
My family loves pasta and we typically eat it once a week (or more!). I get tired of the plain old spaghetti in tomato sauce which is why I introduced this chicken pesto pasta to the kids, and it’s been a big hit! This pasta is super quick to make, and it’s really versatile too, there are so many options to change up the protein and veggies to keep things exciting.
How do you make chicken pesto pasta?
Start by cooking diced chicken with olive oil, seasonings and garlic. Add cooked pasta to the pan, then stir in the pesto. Gently stir in halved cherry tomatoes, then add a sprinkle of fresh parsley and grated parmesan cheese. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Tips for the perfect pasta
- Be sure to cook your chicken in a single layer so that it gets a golden brown crust. If you overcrowd the pan, the chicken may steam instead of saute. It’s best to work in batches if your pan is not large enough to fit everything at once.
- You can use homemade or store bought pesto, whichever you prefer. I often use store bought pesto to save on time. Be sure to choose pesto from the refrigerator case rather than the shelf stable type.
- Any type of short pasta will work including penne, rotini, rigatoni or fusilli.
- This dish is hearty enough to serve on its own. If you’re looking for side dishes, try a simple green salad or a batch of garlic knots.
How to make pesto
To make your own pesto for this recipe, place 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts in a food processor along with 1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic and 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese. Pulse the ingredients until finely ground. Add 3 cups of fresh whole basil leaves to the food processor along with salt and pepper to taste. Turn the food processor on and slowly pour in 1/2 cup olive oil. Blend until a smooth sauce forms. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
Chicken pesto pasta flavor variations
This dish is fabulous as-is, but you can add other ingredients to customize the flavors to your tastes.
- Protein: Swap out the chicken breast for chicken thighs, grilled shrimp, white beans or Italian sausage.
- Vegetables: Feel free to add other veggies to the mix such as sauteed zucchini, mushrooms or bell peppers.
- Cheese: Instead of parmesan, try a different type of cheese such as fresh mozzarella balls or grated fontina.
Once you try this chicken pesto pasta, you’ll find yourself making it on a regular basis – it’s just that good!
More delicious pasta recipes
- Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Pasta
- Caprese Pasta
- Chicken and Broccoli Pasta
- Tuscan Chicken Pasta
- Butternut Squash Pasta
Chicken Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite sized pieces
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 3/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 12 ounces short pasta such as farfalle
- 1 cup basil pesto look for it in the refrigerated section
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley can also use basil
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt to taste. Cook the pasta according to package directions.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat.
- Place the chicken in the pan and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until golden brown and cooked through. Add the garlic and Italian seasoning and cook for 1 minute.
- Drain the pasta and pour it into the pan with the chicken. Add the pesto and toss to coat evenly.
- Add the cherry tomatoes and gently fold them into the pasta.
- Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and parsley. then serve.
Fan says
Lovely! Could you maybe formulate this recipe in to the metric system? Grams, Millilitres etc… that would probably make the cooking of this recipe (and other recipes) a lot easier for your fans across the ocean! Keep up the good work!
Karen says
This recipe is recipe is really good, but I made a few changes to it to add a different twist. I used halved cherry tomatoes with red onion, lime juice, fresh cilantro, Italian seasoning, Mrs Dash extra spicy seasoning, and a little salt together. I also added Italian Seasoning and Extra Spicy to the Pesto noodles. Finally, I used Mexican Style shredded cheese with taco seasoning. I had rotisserie chicken with this, but it was too salty for the light flavors of this dish, so in the future I will definitely cook chicken for this. Thanks for the great recipes! They have inspired me to cook again.
LaTrice says
I LOVE pesto, and would like to make this recipe for lunch very soon!!! 🙂
Sarah Bailey says
OK now this sounds like something I need to try – I’ve not made a pesto chicken meal in ages, and hands up I’m all for pasta! So this is one I’ll have to try soon.
Cyn Gagen says
You had me at pesto. I love this recipe and will be adding it to my meal rotation soon!
Trina says
This looks delicious and easy enough for me to do in the midst of a busy evening! Thanks for sharing, adding it to my recipe box!
Amy Nash says
Yum! This sounds like such a delicious dinner! I love getting the pesto from Costco – it’s my favorite for putting on pasta or spreading on sandwiches! Definitely making this for my family next week!
Gisele says
This recipe looks really good. I’m going to have to try this.
Tasheena @ Simplytasheena.com says
I wish I would have seen this recipe sooner to make it for dinner tonight. It looks so yummy! My family loves pesto.
Joely Smith says
You are right! This kind of meal is SUPER easy and so very delicious! I make pasta like this often and it’s fun to change the ingredients around a little now and then too. Love it!
Anosa Malanga says
Ohh, at last I found one! Been targeting to make a pesto pasta over the weekend and now seeing this, I can’y wait to try it! I hope my cousins will love this.
Emily says
I love pesto, but usually only order it at restaurants. I need to make this at home for a yummy dinner option. Thanks for the idea!
valmg @ Mom Knows It All says
I love a nice and easy recipe, they’re the best kind! This dish sounds quite flavorful and has terrific color as well.
Jeanette says
Oh my gosh that looks absolutely delicious! We are actually having chicken for dinner in this might be the perfect dinner. I am always looking for chicken ideas because it can be so bland otherwise! This looks anything but bland and I can’t wait to try it!
Jeanine says
Wow! This looks absolutely incredible.I haven’t had much pasta lately and would love to give this a try! The colours make it look sooo tempting!
Amber Myers says
Heck yes! I love my pasta! Carbs always make me happy. My kids love them too. I’ll have to try this out for them.
Peter says
Wow you got some great colour happening. I love a good chicken pesto. My kids have a problem with the green due to a spinach incident but I’m all in!
robin rue says
I love pesto, but I am the only person in my house who does. I think this sounds amazing, but I might add it to my next girls night in menu since the kids won’t eat it.