Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta
This is one quick and tasty dinner idea. It takes about ten minutes to make, a perfect midweek meal idea.
I always have homemade pesto in the freezer, I just defrost it in the fridge overnight and then this dinner happens in no time when I need to make it the next day. You can use store bought, if there is a brand you love.
You can use short pastas like penne, casarece or spiral pasta.
With the broccoli, I used one large head of broccoli. I cut the broccoli into florets, then I cut the florets into smaller bite sized pieces.
I love this with broccoli, but if I don't have broccoli in the freezer I will make it with other vegetables such as sliced or julienned zucchini, sliced mushrooms, shredded kale or baby spinach. With the mushrooms and zucchini, I would add them when after the garlic to fry them off before continuing with the recipe.
You can add chilli flakes if you like, I however don't think it needs it.
This is such a tasty dish for something so simple to make.
I always have homemade pesto in the freezer, I just defrost it in the fridge overnight and then this dinner happens in no time when I need to make it the next day. You can use store bought, if there is a brand you love.
You can use short pastas like penne, casarece or spiral pasta.
With the broccoli, I used one large head of broccoli. I cut the broccoli into florets, then I cut the florets into smaller bite sized pieces.
I love this with broccoli, but if I don't have broccoli in the freezer I will make it with other vegetables such as sliced or julienned zucchini, sliced mushrooms, shredded kale or baby spinach. With the mushrooms and zucchini, I would add them when after the garlic to fry them off before continuing with the recipe.
You can add chilli flakes if you like, I however don't think it needs it.
This is such a tasty dish for something so simple to make.
Recipe
Recipe adapted from simplehomeedit.com/
500g fettuccine
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast (roughly 600g), finely sliced
2 tablespoon freshly minced garlic
320g pesto (store-bought or homemade)
300ml thickened cream
750g broccoli or broccolini
1 punnet cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup freshly grated parmesan, plus extra to serve
½ teaspoon sea salt flakes
Cracked black pepper, to taste
500g fettuccine
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast (roughly 600g), finely sliced
2 tablespoon freshly minced garlic
320g pesto (store-bought or homemade)
300ml thickened cream
750g broccoli or broccolini
1 punnet cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup freshly grated parmesan, plus extra to serve
½ teaspoon sea salt flakes
Cracked black pepper, to taste
Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Season with about a teaspoon of salt.
Once the pasta water is boiling, place the broccoli in for 2 minutes. Remove the broccoli and set aside until needed.
Cook the pasta as per the packet instructions, less 1 minute (the pasta will finish cooking when it’s combined with the sauce).
Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan over medium–high heat.
Add the chicken, in batches and cook for 1–2 minutes until it just colours (it will still be uncooked in the centre).
Add the garlic and continue stirring for 30 seconds until fragrant. Return all the chicken to the pan.
Add the pesto, cream, broccoli and cherry tomatoes. Place the lid on and cook for 3 minutes.
Remove from the heat, stir through the cooked pasta and parmesan, keep stirring until the sauce thickens and absorbs into the pasta, then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
Serve sprinkled with extra parmesan, and extra cracked black pepper, if desired.
Once the pasta water is boiling, place the broccoli in for 2 minutes. Remove the broccoli and set aside until needed.
Cook the pasta as per the packet instructions, less 1 minute (the pasta will finish cooking when it’s combined with the sauce).
Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan over medium–high heat.
Add the chicken, in batches and cook for 1–2 minutes until it just colours (it will still be uncooked in the centre).
Add the garlic and continue stirring for 30 seconds until fragrant. Return all the chicken to the pan.
Add the pesto, cream, broccoli and cherry tomatoes. Place the lid on and cook for 3 minutes.
Remove from the heat, stir through the cooked pasta and parmesan, keep stirring until the sauce thickens and absorbs into the pasta, then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
Serve sprinkled with extra parmesan, and extra cracked black pepper, if desired.
Enjoy!
