This creamy chicken pesto pasta is your new weeknight hero, quick, easy, and unbelievably delicious. Ready in just 20 minutes, the creamy sauce is bursting with basil pesto, garlic, parmesan, and a hit of lemon for freshness. It’s one of those dinners everyone falls in love with!
Hi! I love writing up recipes like this, ones that I am certain will become a staple dinner in your repertoire. This is based off two very popular recipes, my 10 Minute Creamy Pesto Sauce and my Creamy Chicken Pasta. It's the perfect marriage of both and the chicken makes it more of a complete meal.
In terms of the pesto, you can use my Classic Homemade Basil Pesto recipe or a good quality store-bought pesto is absolutely fine. For something different my arugula pesto is seriously amazing. I generally always have a jar of pesto in the fridge, I slather it on anything. Mixed into a creamy pasta sauce is true heaven to me.
Main ingredients:
Chicken - I have used boneless skinless chicken breasts but you could also use boneless chicken thighs (which I do actually prefer flavor wise). I use free range chicken so it tends to be on the thinner side. If you have quite a thick breast then you'll probably need to cut it in half horizontally or just cut into bite-sized pieces and pan fry that way.
Pasta - Use absolutely anything! I have used pappardelle but absolutely any pasta shape will work.
Garlic cloves - Fresh is best! Jarred garlic is just not the right flavor here.
Cream - I like to use single or light cream as I find the parmesan and cooking time thickens it perfectly. I think heavy cream can end up too thick once it is taken off the heat.
Pesto - As I mentioned above use my homemade pesto recipe (has instructions in a food processor or mortar and pestle!) or one from the grocery store is fine. Just make sure it is a really good quality one if possible.
Parmesan - Even though pesto has parmesan cheese in it already I add some extra to really boost the flavor. It needs to be really finely grated with a microplane or the star side of a box grater.
Lemon - I always add lemon juice to a creamy pasta sauce. It cuts through the richness and adds a wonderful fresh zing to the dish. I love to use the zest on top of the finished dish too.
Additions
This is a really great base to add anything else you would like to, some suggestions:
- Toasted sliced mushrooms
- Any fresh vegetables like broccoli, zucchini or green beans.
- A big handful of fresh spinach
- Some cooked crispy bacon pieces.
- Some cherry tomatoes or sun-dried tomatoes.
Expert tips for this pasta dish
- For a juicy chicken breast, flatten it into an even layer. Ensures even and perfect cooking. If your breast is on the thicker side then you could butterfly it or cut it in half completely horizontally so you have two thinner pieces.
- The cream sauce should never be boiling just a really nice gentle simmer on a medium or even medium-low heat.
- If using dried pasta, undercook it by a minute so it can bubble away IN the sauce for a minute or two at end. You'll still have al dente pasta but it will also take on some flavor.
- Always reserve a mug of the starchy pasta water before draining. I like to try and time the pasta cooking and sauce so I can transfer the cooked pasta straight into the sauce. I use a spider strainer for this.
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How to make this recipe
The full ingredient list, thorough step by step instructions and a short tutorial video are in the recipe card below.
How to pan fry a chicken breast
ONE: Flatten the chicken breast down so it is all the same thickness. I get out some frustration by hitting it with a rolling pin on a cutting board!
TWO: For best results, flatten it to about 1 - 1.5cm thick for best results.
THREE: Season each side well with salt and black pepper. Dust with flour (optional but it adds a lovely golden crisp finish).
FOUR: Pan fry over a medium-high heat for 2 minutes each side until golden brown (or longer if your piece is thicker). Wrap lightly in foil and make the sauce.
How to make the sauce
ONE: Cook the garlic in olive oil in a large skillet for 1-2 minutes over a medium heat, careful not to burn.
TWO: Lower the heat and add the cream, bring to a gentle simmer. Add the black pepper and lemon juice and whisk in quickly.
THREE: Let it gently bubble away to thicken slightly for 1-2 minutes. Add the pesto and mix in well.
FOUR: Add your cooked pasta in with a little splash of pasta water and toss well. Let it gently bubble altogether for 1 - 2 minutes. Top with the chicken and some extra fresh basil leaves.
Are you salting your pasta water correctly?
If you can easily stomach a sip of your pasta water, you probably haven’t salted it enough! I learnt so much about seasoning water from Samin Nosrat’s Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat.
Check out my Guide to Cooking the Perfect Pasta for all the details, but in short: for every 400 grams of pasta, I use about 2.4 quarts (2.3 litres) of water and 1½ tablespoons of salt. It makes all the difference!
The perfect homemade basil pesto
If you do feel like making your own pesto for this recipe, check this out!
Recipe FAQs
I personally use a single or light cream as I find that the heat and parmesan thicken it up a lot. If you use a double or heavy cream you might need to thin it out with some extra pasta water.
Use anything you love or have on hand. I used a dried pappardelle but a short pasta shape like penne or rigatoni would be great too!
I always say that I don't think a creamy pasta reheats that well and it's part of the reason I mostly make recipes for two. It will definitely keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 days but best fresh!
Some more pasta dishes to try
If you loved this creamy pesto chicken pasta then you must stay and have a look around for the next time you feel like pasta! I have so many different pasta dishes plus easy tutorials to make pasta from scratch!
Did you make this recipe?
I would LOVE it if you could leave a review and star rating down below. Also please tag me on Instagram if you share a photo of the dish!
Recipe
Best Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta
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Equipment
- Large skillet or fry pan
- Saucepan for cooking pasta
Ingredients
- 200 grams dried pasta (or 300 grams fresh, see notes)
For the chicken
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 chicken breast
- 1 tablespoon flour
For the sauce
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
- ¾ cup single or light cream (see notes)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (plus the zest for serving)
- ⅓ cup basil pesto (homemade or store bought)
- 20 grams parmesan cheese very finely grated
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Cook your pasta in well salted boiling water, undercooking by 1 minute. Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining.
- Flatten the chicken breast to an even thickness (about 1-1.5cm), I do this by laying some plastic wrap over the top and hitting with a rolling pin. If your breast is quite thick then you can cut into bite size pieces and pan fry like that.
- Season the breast well with salt and pepper on each side then dust with the flour.
- Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a fry pan over a medium high heat and fry the chicken for 2 mins each side (or until cooked through if yours is thicker). You can also pan fry in bite size pieces.
- Lightly wrap in foil and set aside.
- In a large skillet that will fit all the pasta at end, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat and fry the garlic for 1 - 2 minutes, a gentle sizzle. The garlic shouldn't color or burn.
- Turn the heat down slightly and add the cream. Bring to a very gentle simmer, it should never boil, just a very gentle simmer.
- Add the lemon juice and pepper and whisk in quickly.
- Add the finely grated parmesan and mix it in until melted through. Let the cream slightly thicken over the heat for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the pesto, mix through then add your cooked pasta and toss. Let it very gently bubble away for 1 - 2 minutes. Season to taste.
- Add a splash of pasta water if you need to loosen. Cream sauces thicken up really quickly off the heat so you want it on the saucier side in the pan.
- Divide between bowls, slice your chicken and place on top with some extra grated parmesan if you wish and I love to top with some grated lemon zest and a couple of basil leaves.
Eric Snyder says
Great tasting dish. Took very little time
Marje says
So yummy omg
Emilie Pullar says
So glad you enjoyed it Marje, thanks so much for making 🙂
Jennifer O. says
My entire family loved this. Teenager gave it 10/10, which is a huge win. One thing I would add somewhere in the recipe is that citrus added to cream will curdle immediately. I already knew that and removed my pan from the heat prior to adding the citrus. When I put it back on low, it did start to curdle. Luckily I had planned in advance and had enough ingredients to make the sauce completely off the heat, which worked wonderfully.
Emilie Pullar says
Hi Jennifer! So glad you enjoyed it. I never have a curdling problem, I'm not sure if our cream is different here in NZ. Another option is so mix the lemon juice through just right before serving onto plates. I do make sure I whisk it through so quickly when adding and make sure the cream is not even really at a simmer. I know it's a frustrating problem, sorry! 🙂
Maureen says
This is the first time I have been successful with an Alfredo dish! This is so delicious and came together so quickly. Thank you for making my dinner a success.
Mandy says
Super tasty and easy to make! I’m yet to be find a recipe on this site that isn’t 10/10 everytime.