Description
Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta with tender chicken, pasta, and rich pesto cream sauce baked with mozzarella for a comforting Italian-American dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 10.5 ounces penne or rigatoni pasta
- 2 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3/4 cup heavy cream plus 2 tablespoons
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup basil pesto
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 3.5 ounces baby spinach optional
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F and grease a 9×13 inch baking dish
- Cook pasta in salted water two minutes less than package directions then drain
- Heat olive oil and cook seasoned chicken for 5 to 6 minutes until golden
- Remove chicken and melt butter then sauté garlic for 30 seconds
- Add cream and milk and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes
- Stir in pesto and Parmesan until smooth
- Return pasta chicken and spinach and mix well
- Transfer to baking dish and top with mozzarella and Parmesan
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden and bubbly
- Rest for 5 minutes before serving
Notes
- Do not overcook pasta before baking
- Use freshly grated Parmesan for best melting
- Add vegetables like mushrooms or sun dried tomatoes for variation
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Italian American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 640
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 780
- Fat: 34
- Saturated Fat: 17
- Unsaturated Fat: 15
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 48
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 38
- Cholesterol: 115