Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta
Tender noodles and juicy Italian-seasoned chicken breast are tossed with an easy 5-minute creamy pesto sauce! A perfectly tasty and comforting dish for those busy weeknights!
Servings:4
Ingredients
- 12 ounces penne noodles, cooked al dente , drained and patted dry
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, , pounded to 1/2 inch thickness
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 cup homemade basil pesto , OR 1 small jar of store-bought pesto
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 1/2 cups half and half , or heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 roma tomatoes, , diced
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese, , for topping
- optional: fresh parsley, , finely chopped
Instructions
- Spray a large pan or skillet with cooking spray. Season both sides of chicken breasts with Italian seasoning and cook over medium-high heat 4-6 minutes on each side until juices run clear and completely cooked through. Transfer chicken to a plate and slice into strips or cut into bite size pieces.
- In the same pan where you cooked the chicken, melt butter. Add garlic and sauté 1-2 minutes until garlic is fragrant. Add flour and stir until a ball forms. Gradually whisk in half and half (or heavy cream) until mixture is smooth. Whisk in pesto. Continue to stir until mixture thickens.
- Pour creamy pesto sauce over noodles and top with chicken and remaining optional ingredients OR add noodles, sauce, chicken and optional ingredients to a large bowl and toss together. Serve warm.