Best Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta
A delicious creamy pasta flavored with basil pesto, parmesan, garlic and a squeeze of lemon. Topped with perfectly golden brown chicken breast. A pasta dish that will become a staple, I am sure.
Servings: 2 people
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.
Video
Notes
Sauce factor - It will seem way too 'saucy' when you add the cooked pasta to the cream but trust me, cream sauces dry up so quick. By the time you have simmered it all together for a min or two then serve it, it will be perfect!
Chicken
Flatten the chicken to an even thickness so it cooks quickly and stays juicy. If your chicken breasts are very thick, butterfly them or cut into bite sized pieces before pan-frying. Cream
Heavy cream works best for this sauce. Keep the heat gentle, the sauce should never boil. If it thickens too much, loosen it with an extra splash of reserved pasta water. Pesto
Use a good quality store-bought pesto or homemade. Because pesto brands vary in saltiness, taste the sauce before adding extra salt. Pasta
Undercook dried pasta by about 1 minute and finish cooking it directly in the sauce so it absorbs more flavor. Always reserve pasta water before draining. Lemon
If you are worried about curdling the lemon juice can be added at the end with the pasta. As long as your heat is really low and you mix it in quickly, it will be fine. Storage
Creamy pasta is best eaten fresh. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days and gently reheated with a splash of water or cream.
Flatten the chicken to an even thickness so it cooks quickly and stays juicy. If your chicken breasts are very thick, butterfly them or cut into bite sized pieces before pan-frying. Cream
Heavy cream works best for this sauce. Keep the heat gentle, the sauce should never boil. If it thickens too much, loosen it with an extra splash of reserved pasta water. Pesto
Use a good quality store-bought pesto or homemade. Because pesto brands vary in saltiness, taste the sauce before adding extra salt. Pasta
Undercook dried pasta by about 1 minute and finish cooking it directly in the sauce so it absorbs more flavor. Always reserve pasta water before draining. Lemon
If you are worried about curdling the lemon juice can be added at the end with the pasta. As long as your heat is really low and you mix it in quickly, it will be fine. Storage
Creamy pasta is best eaten fresh. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days and gently reheated with a splash of water or cream.