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.

5 from 17 votes

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Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian, Pasta

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 25

Total Time: 30

Servings: serves

Calories: 414kcal

Author: Lucy - Bake Play Smile

Equipment

Stove-top

Ingredients

1 tbs olive oil
400 g chicken breast fillets or thighs, sliced thinly
1 onion finely chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
250 g pasta any short pasta like spiral, penne, rigatone
3 cups (750ml) chicken stock liquid
150 g basil pesto
½ cup (125g) 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 Info:

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 (I like the Barilla brand of basil pesto) or you can make your own.

More Recipe Tips:

Substitutions - 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.

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