Chicken Pesto Pasta

When my kids were younger and we introduced a new food that they didn’t like, we’d say they were “learning to like” that food. It gave them some room to try it again next time. 

Well, friends, I’m learning to like basil.

Such a weird thing to admit, because it seems like EVERYONE loves basil! 

It’s in so many good foods and the rest of the world loves it, so I keep trying and I really am learning to like it. 

My husband and son love fresh basil, so I decided to really test myself with this chicken pesto pasta and, y’all, this is actually really good. Even for me – someone on the fence about basil. Haha! 

Made with tender chunks of chicken and the bright flavor of sun-dried tomatoes, I’m not sure that there’s anything to dislike about this one. I’m obsessed with sun-dried tomatoes, and put them in things like our Greek turkey meatballs, creamy Tuscan chicken and gnocchi, and tortellini pasta salad. They’re like little flavor bombs!

For more pasta favorites, try our baked gnocchi – it’s like a potato pasta situation that we are obsessed with.

♥ What We Love About Pesto Chicken Pasta:

• Flavor: The savory flavor of the pesto paired with the vibrant zip of the sun-dried tomatoes makes this pesto chicken pasta so flavorful and will keep you coming back for more!
• Versatile: Chicken pesto pasta can be customized in many ways – throw in another protein, add more veggies, use a different shape of pasta, or (my favorite trick) stir in some crispy bacon.
• Quick: Ready in just 25 minutes for the perfect summer dinner after a busy day.

What is Pesto?

A traditional basil pesto sauce is a popular Italian sauce that’s made with fresh basil and a variety of other ingredients such as pine nuts, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and Parmesan. You can either make your own pesto sauce for this recipe or simply use jarred pesto sauce!

Highly recommend Costco’s Kirkland brand pesto! Rich, cheesy, garlicky – tastes like homemade!

Ingredient Notes:

Pasta – We’re using bow tie pasta, also known as farfalle, for this pesto pasta recipe. Feel free to use any other shaped pasta here such as rotini, macaroni, or fusilli. Any small shape will do well here.

Chicken – This chicken pasta starts with boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces. If you’d like to use chicken thighs here they would work well too.

Seasoning – You’ll need a mix of paprika, onion powder, salt, and crushed red pepper. Add more or omit the red pepper, depending on your spice tolerance.

Sun-Dried Tomatoes – These are a simple way to add lots of bright, zippy tomato flavor to the dish! We drain them of oil and cut them into strips.

Pesto Sauce – You can keep this simple and use a jarred pesto sauce or prepare your own homemade pesto sauce.

Pine Nuts – These are often used in a variety of Italian dishes including pasta. They add nutty flavor and a crunchy texture that pairs well with the other ingredients in this dish.

Parmesan – We like to top the pasta with some thinly shaved Parmesan cheese. Shredded or grated would work as well.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Step by Step Instructions:

Season the chicken and brown it in a hot skillet or dutch oven. Let the chicken cook through.

Add the sun-dried tomatoes and garlic to the chicken and cook for a couple of minutes. Things should be smelling good now.

Cook your pasta according to package directions while the chicken is cooking and then drain it well.

Add the pasta, cooked chicken, pesto, and pine nuts to a large bowl and stir to coat everything. Serve topped with shaved Parmesan.

Storage Instructions:

If you’ve got leftovers, or if you want to make this recipe ahead of time, you can keep the chicken pesto pasta stored well covered in the refrigerator for about 4-5 days. Reheat in the microwave or serve cold as a pasta salad.

We have not tried freezing this and are not sure how this would be after freezing and thawing.

Recipe FAQs:

• Keto Chicken Salad: If you’re watching carbs, this is the way to go!
• Homemade Sloppy Joes: Seriously the best!
• Cheddar Bacon Egg Salad: My all time favorite egg salad!
• Tuna Pasta Salad: Pasta + protein!
• Homemade Tomato Soup: Serve with a grilled cheese!
• Buffalo Chicken Salad: This makes the best sandwich, but it’s good as a dip for celery too!
• Air Fryer Tuna Melt: A lunch time classic made easy in the air fryer!

This recipe was originally published in 2019. Original photo below: