Pesto Chicken Pasta (Printable format)

Grilled chicken and pasta in basil pesto with cherry tomatoes, spinach, and Parmesan. Ready in 30 minutes.

# List of ingredients:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 14 oz), halved horizontally

→ Pasta

02 - 12 oz penne or fusilli pasta

→ Sauce & Flavorings

03 - ½ cup store-bought basil pesto
04 - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Vegetables

07 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
08 - 2 cups baby spinach leaves

→ Seasonings

09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

10 - Fresh basil leaves, to serve
11 - Extra Parmesan, for serving

# How to make it:

01 - Season the chicken breasts generously with salt and black pepper on both sides.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Grill the chicken for 4–5 minutes per side until cooked through and nicely charred. Transfer to a plate, let rest for 5 minutes, then slice thinly.
03 - Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ¼ cup of pasta water, then drain.
04 - In the same pot, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
05 - Add cherry tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes until just softened.
06 - Return the drained pasta to the pot. Stir in pesto, reserved pasta water, and Parmesan until the pasta is well coated.
07 - Fold in the sliced chicken and baby spinach. Toss until the spinach just wilts.
08 - Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, topped with fresh basil and extra Parmesan if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Everything comes together in one pot after the chicken is done, so cleanup is genuinely minimal.
  • The pesto does all the heavy lifting for flavor, which means you get bold taste without chopping a mountain of herbs.
  • It tastes like something from a trattoria but uses ingredients you probably already have on hand.
  • Leftovers actually get better the next day when the pasta soaks up even more of that garlicky pesto goodness.
02 -
  • Halving the chicken breasts horizontally is non-negotiable if you want them to cook evenly and stay juicy instead of drying out.
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water, that starchy liquid is what helps the pesto cling to every piece of pasta instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
  • Add the spinach at the very end off the heat if possible, it wilts so fast that overcooking turns it slimy instead of tender.
03 -
  • Let the chicken rest before slicing, cutting into it too soon releases all the juices onto the cutting board instead of keeping them inside where they belong.
  • Taste the pesto before adding it, some store-bought versions are saltier than others, and you might need to go easy on the extra salt and Parmesan to avoid overdoing it.
  • If the pasta seems dry after tossing, add the reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time until it reaches a silky, cohesive consistency.
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