the best pesto chicken pasta

as much as i love trying out new recipes, sometimes there’s nothing quite as good as a trusty favorite, & this pesto chicken pasta DEFINITELY makes the list in our house. it’s seriously the perfect weeknight meal! so simple & easy to modify based on what’s in your fridge (& how much time/effort you wanna put into it!), & tastes soooo good.

since i’m more of a “just wing it” type when it comes to cooking, i usually just estimate on measurements! but i tried to give some options for those of you who are the measuring type ;)

RECIPE:

for the pesto:
fresh basil leaves
olive oil
walnuts
garlic
pine nuts
parmesan
salt

to make the pesto, just toss all the ingredients into a blender (or use a mason jar + immersion blender) & blend it up! if winging it makes you nervous, this recipe is BOMB.

orrrr option three - just grab a jar of pesto from the store ;) while nothing compares to homemade pesto, sometimes just getting dinner on the table is enough of a feat for the day! refrigerated pesto is ALWAYS most flavorful.

for the pasta:
1 shallot
3 cloves garlic
1 carton cherry tomatoes (ish - i usually use somewhere between half a carton & a full one!)
almost 1 full box of pasta (i use about 3/4 of a box. swap for GF if you’d like!)
1 pound chicken (thighs, breasts, or strips)
italian seasoning

cook the pasta al dente according to the package instructions, then drain it & set aside.

in a deep saucepan, sauté the shallot & garlic for a minute or two, then chop up the tomatoes & add those in! smoosh the tomatoes down a bit with your spatula to really get allll those juices out. sauté these together until the tomatoes are soft & everything is smelling SO good.

in a separate pan, sauté the chicken until it’s cooked through (probably 5-10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken). you can add whatever spices you like onto the chicken, but season with salt & pepper for sure! & chop up the chicken into bite-size pieces either before or after you cook it.

once all the different elements are done, you just gotta mix ‘em up! combine the pesto + tomato ‘sauce’, chicken, & pasta in a saucepan. top with parmesan, & enjoy!

EXTRA DETAILS —

  • i love combining this with an easy side salad & garlic bread!

  • this recipe usually feeds me & kyle with leftovers for lunch the next day for both of us - so it would probably feed about 5 adults, or you & all your kiddos ;)

  • this is a perfect recipe to adjust for what you have on hand! don’t have a shallot? chop up an onion. only have pre-minced garlic? that’s perfect! or use up other things you have tucked away in your fridge - throw some chopped up mushrooms in with the tomatoes, add spinach to your pesto, pour a bit of half & half or cream in as you combine it all - the options are truly endless!

  • check out our dining nook transformation for more deets & links to everything in our dining room!

LINKS TO EVERYTHING:

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