Chicken and Pesto Pasta features all kinds of summer harvest flavors- basil, cherry tomatoes, and lemon mixed with tender pieces of chicken. Almost everything comes together in one pan for easy clean up. Bonus- leftovers can be enjoyed warm or cold!
This pesto chicken pasta is summer in a bowl. We have a large garden and by the end of summer it is bursting with more tomatoes and basil than we know what to do with. This chicken pasta uses these ingredients up in the best way.
All of the flavors stand out- the sweetness of the tomatoes is amplified by quickly cooking them, basil is used in multiple ways for full impact, and lemon helps to cut the rich sauce with a little brightness.
If you have been Season and Thyme for any length of time, you know our household is full of pasta fans. For more tasty pasta dishes like this one, try Pesto Ricotta Pasta, Cheesecake Factory Chicken Chipotle Pasta, and Olive Garden Steak Gorgonzola.
Ingredients
- Pasta: I like a short pasta for this recipe, something like gemmeli, penne, or fusilli.
- Chicken: You’ll notice I used chicken tenderloins here. I love using tenderloins because they are super simple to cut into bite-sized pieces and are tender as the name suggests. You can easily substitute in boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs for a similar result in this recipe.
- Pesto: Homemade pesto or store bought are both great there! My favorite store bought pesto is the Kirkland brand from Costco.
- Tomatoes: Use any variety of cherry tomatoes you have.
- Mozzarella Pearls: The size I used is labeled as "pearls" or you may see "perline." They are tiny and perfect for dishes such as this one and Orecchiette with Baby Chicken Meatballs.
- Parmesan Cheese: Parmesan adds a nutty and salty flavor to the dish. I suggest fresh grated if you can.
- Heavy Cream: This helps to form the rich pesto sauce.
- Lemon: Both the zest and juice are used.
- Shallot: Shallot provides a milder onion flavor than traditional onion.
- Garlic: If you want to add more than the recipe calls for, you’re a cook after my own heart. Three cloves is just a suggestion.
- Basil: Lots of fresh basil at the end is added for more color and flavor.
Instructions for Making Chicken Pesto Pasta
Step 1. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and place into a mixing bowl.
Step 2. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, and 2 tbsp. pesto and stir to combine.
Step 3. Allow to sit for 30 minutes and up to 24 hours in the fridge.
While the chicken is sitting, prepare pasta according to the packaging instructions. Before you drain it, be sure to reserve ½ cup of pasta water for use in the sauce later.
Step 4. On the stove, heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces in a single layer and brown on all sides until cooked through. Once cooked, set chicken on a plate to the side.
Step 5. To the same pan, reduce heat to medium and add minced garlic and shallot. Cook for one minute until fragrant.
Step 6. Add cherry tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes until they just start to blister. Remove to a plate to the side.
Step 7. To the same pan, deglaze with reserved pasta water, scraping up any bits of flavor stuck to the bottom on the pan.
Step 8. Add heavy cream, the remaining pesto and parmesan cheese. Stir to combine and reduce for a minute.
Step 9. Add in pasta, as well as cooked tomatoes, chicken pieces, mozzarella balls, and chopped basil.
Step 10. Give everything a final stir before serving.
Recipe Tips
- Make sure the pan is nice and hot before you add your chicken pieces. This will seal in the juices and help it brown more quickly without the inside drying out.
- If you want, you can double this recipe and have leftovers throughout the week. This dish makes great lunches and is tasty served both warm and cold.
More Pesto Recipes
If you try this Chicken and Pesto Pasta please leave a star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below. I love to hear from you.
Chicken and Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- ½ lb. Pasta
- 1 lb. Chicken tenderloins cut into bite sized pieces
- ⅔ cup Basil Pesto divided
- 1 pint Cherry Tomatoes
- 4 oz. Mozzarella Pearls
- ½ cup Parmesan Cheese shredded or grated
- ½ cup Heavy Cream
- 1 Lemon juice and zesr
- 1 Shallot minced
- 3 Garlic cloves minced
- ¼ cup Chopped Basil
Instructions
- Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and place into a mixing bowl.
- Add lemon zest, lemon juice, and 2 tbsp. pesto and stir to combine. Allow to sit for 30 minutes and up to 24 hours in the fridge.
- On the stove, heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces in a single layer and brown on all sides until cooked through. Once cooked, set chicken on a plate to the side.
- While the chicken is marinating, prepare pasta according to the packaging instructions. Before you drain it, be sure to reserve ½ cup of pasta water for use in the sauce later.
- To the same pan, reduce heat to medium and add minced garlic and shallot. Cook for one minute until fragrant.
- Add cherry tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes until they just start to blister. Remove to a plate to the side.
- To the same pan, deglaze with reserved pasta water, scraping up any bits of flavor stuck to the bottom on the pan.
- Add heavy cream, the remaining pesto and parmesan cheese. Stir to combine and reduce for a minute.
- Add in pasta, as well as cooked tomatoes, chicken pieces, mozzarella balls, and chopped basil.
- Give everything a final stir before serving.
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