Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta

This Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta can be made one of two ways. Super Quick and Easy – ready in under 30 minutes, or completely from scratch, which takes a little more time, but is absolutely delicious.

During the summer, while I still have pots of fresh basil growing on my deck, I try to make basil-forward dishes as much as possible. Homemade Basil Pesto is my most frequently made recipe, since it can be used in so many applications. With so much basil, I end up freezing the “basil base” for pesto my pesto recipe. I add two cups packed fresh basil leaves to my mini food processor along with a generous drizzle of olive oil. I blend this together and freeze it. In the winter, when we are hankering for some fresh basil pesto, I thaw a packet of “basil base” and continue on with my recipe for Homemade Basil Pesto.

This recipe for Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta uses basil pesto for the bulk of the sauce. You can use homemade or store-bought (Costco has very good Basil Pesto Sauce). The pasta can be Homemade Pasta or store-bought. If you opt to use store-bought products, you will have dinner on the table in under 30 minutes. If you choose the homemade option, you will end up with a pasta that is tender, delicate, and flavorful topped with a vibrant basil pesto sauce.

Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta

Made with fresh basil pesto and homemade pasta, this is an exceptional pasta dish

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Prep Time:5 minutes mins

Cook Time:15 minutes mins

Pasta Making Time (optional if using store-bought):30 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, French, Italian, Mediterranean

Keyword: Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta, Creamy Pesto Pasta, Homemade Creamy Pesto Pasta, Pesto Chicken Pasta

Servings: 4

Equipment

• Pasta Maker
• Mini Food Processor

Ingredients

• 2 Batches Homemade Pasta (Einkorn or you can substitute for AP flour) https://northwestfrench.com/homemade-einkorn-pasta/.
• 1 Pound Chicken Breast
• 1/2 Tbsp Duck Fat
• Salt & Pepper
• 1 Cup Basil Pesto Sauce https://northwestfrench.com/homemade-basil-pesto-sauce/
• 3/4 Cup Heavy Cream
• 1/4 Cup Half & Half
• 1 tsp Salt
• Olive Oil
• Couple leaves Fresh Basil

Instructions

Pasta

• Prepare Pasta recipe. While pasta is drying, prepare chicken in the pesto sauce.
  
• Also, while pasta is drying and pesto chicken is cooking, set a large pot of salted water over high heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil to the salted water. Bring to boil.

Chicken in Sauce

• Cut chicken into 1/2 – 1" chunks.
  
• Melt Duck Fat and Brown Chicken.
  
• Once Chicken is browned, add Pesto sauce. Stir to combine chicken and sauce, until the parmesan is melted.
  
• Add Cream, Half & Half, and Salt. Stir until warmed through.
  
• As the Cream and Half & Half are warming through, add your pasta to the water and cook for 3-4 minutes, until it is floating. Be sure to stir when adding to the pot, to prevent it from sticking together.

Assembling

• Drain pasta. Add a drizzle of olive oil to the pot, and return pasta to pot and stir to coat
  
• Add Creamy Pesto Chicken to the Pasta in the pot. Stir to combine.
• Spoon portions into dinner bowls and garnish with fresh basil. Enjoy!