This pesto pasta recipe delivers a dish packed with flavor and a wonderfully creamy texture. And the best part? You can make it from scratch in just 30 minutes!
Table of Contents
Pesto pasta can sometimes turn out too oily or gluey, but with the right approach, you can achieve a beautifully creamy dish. This recipe focuses on the order of ingredients and uses a homemade pesto sauce to take your pasta to the next level.
If you love this pasta recipe, you’ll also enjoy my homemade chicken nuggets, another easy and tasty chicken recipe. Or try my chicken and dressing casserole for a hearty, family-friendly meal. And for a comforting pasta dish, give my Johnny Marzetti a try.
I created this recipe using ingredients we had on hand featuring our homemade pesto. We love to serve this all year round. I love how quick it is to pull together for a homemade meal on a busy weeknight.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Quick and Easy: This recipe is a lifesaver on busy weeknights. It takes just 30 minutes to make, so it’s a quick dinner to throw together.
- Flavor-Packed: Despite its simple ingredients, this dish is bursting with flavor. The fresh basil in the pesto gives it a delicious, garden-fresh flavor that’s especially comforting in the winter.
- Family Favorite: The combination of creamy pesto sauce and tender chicken is a hit with both kids and adults. It’s a great way to get a hearty, satisfying meal on the table that the whole family will love.
- Comfort Food: There’s something so comforting about a big bowl of creamy pasta, especially when it’s as flavorful as this pesto chicken pasta. It’s the perfect cozy meal for a chilly evening.
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Key Ingredients
- Penne Pasta: This will be the base of our dish, providing a hearty and satisfying texture for the sauce to cling to. You can use any pasta of choice, but this is our favorite to use with this dish.
- Pasta Water: This will help to thin out the sauce and add a bit of starch, which will help the sauce to stick to the pasta.
- Garlic: This will add a rich, savory flavor to the dish, complement the pesto, and add a bit of zesty bite.
- Cooked Chicken: This will add a protein boost to the dish and give it a hearty, satisfying flavor.
- Salt: This will enhance all the other flavors in the dish and bring out the natural flavors of the ingredients.
- Pesto: This will be the star of the show, providing a rich, herby, and nutty flavor that will really make the dish shine. You can use storebought but for the best flavor, try my homemade pesto recipe with walnuts.
- Parmesan Cheese: This will add a salty, tangy flavor to the dish and help to thicken the sauce. Be sure to save some for sprinkling on top before serving! I recommend using freshly grated parmesan and staying away from the grated parmesan that comes in a circular container – if you know what I mean…
Equipment
- Large Skillet – You’ll need this to sauté the garlic and chicken and to combine the pesto sauce with the cooked pasta.
- Stock Pot – This is essential for boiling the pasta. Make sure it’s large enough to accommodate the pound of penne.
How to Make Pesto Pasta
Preparation
Begin by bringing a large pot of water to a boil. This will be used to cook your penne pasta.
Step 1 – Cook the Penne Pasta
Once the water is boiling, add the penne pasta and cook it until it is al dente. This means it should be cooked but still have a bit of firmness to it. Before you drain the pasta, carefully remove ¾ cup of the pasta water and set it aside.
Step 2 – Cook the Garlic and Chicken
In a large skillet, sauté the garlic and cooked chicken for one minute. This will help to bring out the flavors of the garlic and warm up the cooked chicken.
Step 3 – Make the Pesto Sauce
To the skillet, add the reserved pasta water, milk, salt, and pesto. Stir this mixture and bring it to a simmer over medium heat. Let it simmer for 5 minutes or until it is slightly thickened.
Step 4 – Combine the Pasta and Pesto Sauce
Add the cooked penne pasta to the skillet and stir it into the pesto mixture. Do this over low heat, and continue stirring until the mixture is creamy.
Step 5 – Add the Parmesan Cheese
Once the pesto mixture and pasta are well combined, turn off the heat. Stir in the parmesan cheese until it is melted and the mixture is creamy.
Step 6 – Serve the Pesto Pasta
Your pesto pasta is ready to serve. You can enjoy it immediately.
Expert Tip
To make the creamiest pesto pasta, be sure to add the parmesan cheese just before serving. This will prevent the cheese from becoming too stringy and give your dish the perfect cheesy finish.
Recipe Variations
- Add More Veggies: If you’re looking to add more nutrients to this dish, try adding 2 cups of shredded zucchini. Simply sauté it with the garlic and chicken for an extra boost of veggies in your meal.
- Thicken the Sauce: If you forget to reserve the pasta water, don’t worry. You can easily thicken the sauce with a simple flour and milk mixture. Just mix ¼ cup of flour with ½ cup of milk and add it to the skillet in place of the pasta water.
- Make It Creamier: For a creamier sauce, you can add a touch of heavy cream to the pesto mixture. This will give your pasta a richer, more decadently creamy texture.
What to Serve With
- For a quick and delicious weeknight dinner, serve your pesto pasta with a side of fresh bread. It’s the perfect accompaniment to the creamy, flavorful pasta.
- For a cozy night in, serve your pesto pasta with a bowl of homemade tomato basil soup. The classic combination of pasta and soup is always a winner, and the bright, tangy flavors of the soup are a great contrast to the creamy, savory pasta.
- For a complete meal, serve with a side of fresh crunchy salad. The lightness of the salad will complement the creamy pesto pasta, giving you a well-rounded, satisfying meal.
Recipe FAQs
This recipe calls for penne pasta, but you can also use other short pasta shapes like fusilli or farfalle. The important thing is to choose a shape that can hold the creamy pesto sauce.
Absolutely! This recipe is very versatile. You can use shrimp, cooked and crumbled bacon, or even just a variety of your favorite sauté vegetables.
You can use any type of pesto for this recipe, whether it’s store-bought or homemade. The classic basil pesto works well, but you can also try it with sun-dried tomato or spinach pesto for a different flavor.
To make ahead, follow instructions as shared. Store in the refrigerator and reheat when ready to serve. You can toss it with a little milk to make it more creamy. However, this recipe is best made fresh.
Storing and Reheating
- Storing: After serving your delicious pesto pasta, you can store any leftovers in the refrigerator. Simply place the pasta in an airtight container. It will keep well for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: You can also freeze the pesto pasta. However, keep in mind that the creamy texture might change a bit after freezing. If you don’t mind the change, the pasta can be frozen for up to 2 months.
- Thaw: When you’re ready to enjoy the frozen pesto pasta, let it thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
- Reheating: To reheat, warm it up in a pot on the stove over low heat. You can also use a microwave, stirring the pasta every 30 seconds to ensure even heating.
More Pasta Recipes You’ll Enjoy
Serving Size
- What to Expect: This pesto pasta recipe yields a delicious dish for six servings.
- How to Scale: If you’re planning to serve more than six, you can easily double the recipe and follow the instructions as directed. Just make sure your pot is large enough to accommodate the increased quantity of ingredients. If not, you can cook the recipe in two batches to ensure the best results.
Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 lb penne pasta
- ¾ Cup pasta water
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 Cups chicken cooked and cubed
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ Cups milk
- 1 Cup pesto
- 1 Cup Parmesan cheese shredded
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil. Once boiling, add penne pasta and cook until al dente. Carefully remove ¾ cup of pasta water to set aside. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- In a large skillet, saute the garlic and cooked chicken for one minute. Add the pasta water, milk, salt and pesto. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Let simmer for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.
- Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and stir in the pesto mixture on low heat until creamy.
- Turn off the heat, and stir in the Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.
