One Pot Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta
This delicious One Pot Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta is the perfect midweek meal. Family-friendly, quick, easy and on the table in just 30 minutes.
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Servings: 6 serves
Calories: 414kcal
Cost: $10
Equipment
- Stove-top
- Large pot with lid
Ingredients
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 400 g chicken breast fillets or thighs, sliced thinly
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 250 g pasta any short pasta like spiral, penne, rigatoni
- 750 ml (3 cups) chicken stock liquid
- 150 g basil pesto
- 125 g (½ cup) cream thickened
- 80 g baby spinach leaves
- 250 g cherry tomatoes halved
- parmesan cheese grated, shredded, or shaved, to serve
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a pot or deep saucepan. Cook the chicken on medium-high heat until browned and cooked through. Set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium and place the onion and garlic into the pot/pan. Saute until translucent.
- Add the pasta and chicken stock liquid and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered until the pasta is cooked and the liquid has nearly disappeared.
- Add the chicken and stir until heated through.
- Add the pesto and the cream and stir until heated through.
- Add the baby spinach and cherry tomatoes and stir until the spinach has just started to wilt.
- Serve with parmesan cheese.
Notes
RECIPE NOTES & TIPS
INGREDIENTS:
- Chicken - You can use thinly sliced chicken breast for this recipe. Alternatively you can substitute the chicken breasts for sliced chicken thighs or tenderloins.
- Pasta - Choose any variety of short pasta you like. I generally use spirals, but penne and rigatoni work great too!
- Chicken stock - Choose a store-bought chicken stock liquid or make your own by mixing 1 teaspoon of chicken stock powder through every 1 cup of water.
- Basil pesto - You can use a store-bought pesto pasta or you can make your own.
- Variations - This is such a versatile recipe. Here's a few ideas for substituting the ingredients to suit your families tastes:
- Switch the basil pesto for sun-dried tomato pesto
- Use chicken thighs or tenderloins in place of chicken breasts
- Use sun-dried tomatoes in place of the cherry tomatoes
- Use regular spinach chopped, instead of baby spinach
- Replace the cream for coconut cream for a dairy-free option
- For a meat-free option, replace the chicken with cooked salmon.
- Storing - store any leftover pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat thoroughly before consuming (or serve cold).
- Freezing - freeze any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Allow to defrost in the fridge before reheating or reheat directly from frozen in the microwave.
Nutrition
Calories: 414kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 500mg | Potassium: 542mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 2170IU | Vitamin C: 15.7mg | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 1.6mg
