This Pesto Pasta with Chicken recipe is one of my favorite 1-pot dishes to create a nutritious meal that not only fills everyone up, but also tastes delicious, too.

This dish is quick, pretty simple to make, and is flexible depending on what you have on hand and what you like to eat.

Cook a pound of short pasta in well-salted water while you brown 1 pound of bite-size chicken breast pieces in olive oil in a big skillet, about 8 minutes, until cooked through. Toss the drained pasta with the chicken, 3/4 cup of pesto and 1/2 cup of the pasta water until it turns creamy. It serves 4 and takes about 35 minutes.

You can use leftover chicken, rotisserie or store-bought chicken, or roast chicken breasts at home. Pesto Pasta with Chicken is high in protein from the chicken, good carbohydrates from the pasta if you use high-quality pasta, and vitamins from fresh herbs like the basil used in the pesto sauce.

Ingredients

• Pasta: You’ll need 1 (16-ounce) package of short-cut pasta, like fusilli, penne, or bowties. You want a pasta shape that’s gonna grab the sauce well. I think this dish is great with short-cut pasta, but you can also use long-cut pasta like spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine if you prefer.
• Extra virgin olive oil: You’ll need 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.
• Chicken breasts: You’ll need 1 pound (about 2 medium breasts) of boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces. The amount of chicken you add is flexible, anywhere from 1/2 pound (8 ounces) to 1 pound (16 ounces) works. You could also use cooked chicken leftover from a previous meal, or buy already cooked chicken at the hot bar at your grocery store to save time.
• Pesto sauce: For this pesto pasta with chicken, you’ll need 3/4 cup pesto sauce. Here’s how to make my favorite pesto recipe, or you can use store-bought. Any pesto sauce works here. I sometimes use my vegan cashew pesto or make classic pesto depending on my mood.
• Salt: You can use either sea salt or kosher salt. Salt really brings pasta to life, so always add a few tablespoons to the boiling water before you cook the pasta. The pasta only absorbs a little of it, but it really goes a long way to add flavor to the overall dish.
• Black pepper: You’ll also need freshly ground black pepper. Freshly ground is always best over the pre-ground pepper that comes in a bottle. Pepper grinders are really affordable these days, so always go for freshly ground black pepper in your kitchen.
• Extra Parmesan cheese: Most pesto will have some Parmesan cheese in it unless it’s specifically vegan. You can add up to 1/2 cup of extra freshly grated parmesan cheese. Real Parmigiano Reggiano has health benefits and tastes the best, so use that if you can. The stuff that comes in cans or jars is loaded with powdered fillers and preservatives and will prevent the dish from becoming creamy. Get the good stuff and grate it yourself when possible.
• Spinach: If you want a healthier dish, then add 8 ounces, about two big handfuls, of fresh baby spinach towards the end of the recipe to add extra greens to your dish. It will wilt right in and you’ll barely notice it.

Pesto Notes:

• Pesto is a dish typically made with fresh basil, fresh garlic, extra virgin olive oil, grated hard cheese (often real Parmigiano Reggiano), and pine nuts. Fresh lemon juice is often added. It’s common in America to substitute pine nuts with almonds or walnuts because pine nuts can be expensive.
• Fresh: You can make it fresh, which I highly recommend doing as often as you can because fresh pesto has an incredible flavor. I always add fresh lemon juice to make it taste even brighter. Learn how to make pesto here.
• Store-bought: If the ingredients are not readily available or you’re short on time, you can also choose a store-bought pesto. Sometimes your small local grocer will make it fresh and keep it in the deli section, which is a good option. When choosing store-bought, remember that ingredient quality can vary greatly. Choose something that doesn’t contain a lot of filler and preservatives and also tastes great.

How to Make Pesto Pasta with Chicken

1. If you’re making the pesto from scratch (which I recommend!), make it first. Fresh pesto is bursting with flavor and packed with nutrients. If you’re short on time or fresh basil isn’t in season or available, it’s always ok to use store-bought pesto, too.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons of salt. Add the pasta and cook 8-12 minutes until al dente (in general, follow the package instructions for cooking pasta.) I like to set a timer based on the package cooking time so I don’t overcook the pasta. For example, if the package says 10-12 minutes, I set the timer for 10 minutes.
3. While the pasta cooks, cook the chicken. (Alternatively, you can use leftover already-cooked chicken that you’ve saved from a previous meal. If you do that, simply toss the chicken with the pasta when you add the pesto sauce.) In a separate skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and season with 1/2 a teaspoon of salt and a few spins of freshly ground black pepper. 
4. Cook, flipping once or twice, about 8 minutes, until opaque and cooked through. The chicken should be lightly browned. Chicken is cooked through when it reaches 165°F (74°C).
5. Reduce the skillet to low heat.
6. Before you drain the pasta, reserve 2 cups of pasta cooking water (I do this in a coffee mug) and set it aside as you may need it to thin out the pesto sauce to help the dish come together.
7. Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet with the chicken (or, use a spider or slotted spoon to transfer the pasta to the skillet with the chicken.)
8. Add the pesto and 1/2 cup of pasta water to the skillet. Stir the pasta, chicken, pesto, and pasta water together with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula until a creamy sauce forms. If using, add the spinach at this point and let it wilt in for about 5 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally. Add 1/4 cup of additional pasta water at a time, if needed, to thin the pesto and form a sauce.
9. Turn the heat off and top with additional parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve immediately.
10. Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. I don’t recommend freezing this dish. 

Have leftover marinated chicken? It’s great in this dish. My Perfect Chicken Marinade only takes 5 minutes.

If you’re looking for a different take on your regular pesto pasta, then you’ll love this gluten-free Avocado Pesto Pasta With Arugula & Basil.

Cooking Time

About 35 minutes.

For this Pesto Pasta with Chicken, you’ll need around 8-12 minutes to cook the pasta and can cook the chicken while the pasta cooks. The remaining time will just be ingredient prepping and putting the dish together.

Storing

You can keep your Pesto Pasta with Chicken in the fridge for up to 3 days. I don’t recommend freezing this dish. 

Yield

This Pesto Pasta with Chicken recipe makes 4 servings, more or less, depending on your preferred portion size.

Pesto Pasta with Chicken FAQs

Can I use rotisserie chicken?

Absolutely, and it saves a step. Shred or chop 2 to 3 cups of rotisserie or leftover chicken and toss it in with the pasta and pesto. Since it’s already cooked, you can skip cooking the chicken entirely.

Can I make it with chicken thighs?

Boneless, skinless thighs work great and stay really juicy. Cut them into 1-inch pieces and cook them a couple of minutes longer than breasts, until they reach 165°F.

How do I keep pesto pasta from getting dry?

Save that pasta water. A splash of the starchy water is what turns the pesto into a creamy sauce that coats every piece. Add it 1/4 cup at a time, and add a little more when you reheat leftovers too.

Can I add vegetables?

Baby spinach is the easiest, since it wilts right in at the end. Halved cherry tomatoes, steamed broccoli or peas are all great too. Stir them in with the pesto.

For a meatless pesto night, make my Classic Pesto Spaghetti.

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