Chicken Pesto Pasta Recipe

A deliciously easy and flavor-packed Chicken Pesto Pasta made with chicken breasts, mushrooms, spinach, and penne pasta all drenched in creamy pesto sauce. In less than 30 minutes you too can make this tasty pasta dish.

Course main meal pasta

Cuisine Italian

Keyword chicken and pesto pasta, how to make chicken pesto pasta, pesto and chicken pasta, pesto chicken pasta, pesto pasta with chicken

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Servings servings

Calories 876kcal

Author Beth Pierce

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 ¼ lbs boneless skinless chicken breast cut into bite-size pieces
12 ounces penne pasta
8 ounces white button mushrooms
8 ounces chopped baby spinach
⅔ cup heavy cream
½ cup basil pesto
1 cup sliced tomatoes
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
Fresh basil chopped

Instructions

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and brown on both sides until cooked through. Remove the chicken to a plate and cover it to keep it warm.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the penne pasta and cook al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 3/4 cup of pasta water and then drain well in a colander.
Heat the remaining olive oil and butter in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms start to brown. Add the spinach and cook until it is wilted while stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the heavy cream stirring to combine. Reduce for just 1-2 minutes then add the pesto sauce and stir to combine.
Add the cooked chicken and pasta to the skillet and stir to combine. Add 2-3 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water to enhance flavor and help the sauce and pasta stick together. Top with chopped tomatoes and fresh basil ribbons. For best results serve promptly. More pasta water can be added if reheating.

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