This creamy chicken pesto pasta is a delicious, easy-to-make pasta dish combining tender chicken, vibrant green pesto, and comforting penne pasta.
Perfect for a weeknight dinner, it's full of flavour and hearty. With just a few ingredients and quick prep, it's an ideal option for busy families.
Save this recipe for later?
Enter your email and I’ll send it your way!
Love chicken pasta recipes? You'll also like my creamy paprika chicken pasta and BBQ chicken pasta!
Jump to:
✔️ Why you'll love this recipe!
- Quick and easy chicken pasta recipe.
- A favourite with the whole family.
- Perfect for hearty and filling midweek meal.
🛒 Ingredient notes
Pasta - 300g of penne pasta (or use another shape like fusilli)
Peas - frozen peas or petit pois.
Spinach - a handful of baby spinach.
Oil - one tablespoon of olive oil.
Garlic - two cloves peeled and chopped.
Chicken Breasts - three boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into chunks.
Creme Fraiche - full fat to avoid the sauce from splitting.
Green Pesto - store-bought or homemade.
Parmesan - finely grated or use Grana Padano.
Salt and Pepper - for seasoning
Sun Dried Tomatoes - chopped into small pieces.
Parsley - to garnish and add colour.
🔪 Instructions
One: Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and cook the garlic and chicken pieces until the chicken changes colour. At the same time, cook the pasta to al dente adding the frozen peas for the last 3 minutes of cooking and the baby spinach for the last 30 seconds. Reserve a cup of pasta water and drain.
Two: Add the creme fraiche, pesto, Parmesan and sun-dried tomatoes. Cook for a few minutes.
Three: Add the drained pasta, peas and spinach and as much pasta cooking water as you need to make a glossy sauce. Season with salt and pepper and give it a good mix.
Four: Serve with chopped parsley and more Parmesan.
Top Tips
- Don't forget to reserve a cup of pasta cooking water. It helps emulsify the sauce.
- Use leftover roast chicken instead of fresh chicken (add it at the same time as the pasta).
- Don't forget the seasoning!
🍴 Serving suggestions
📖 Variations
- Make it spicy and add a chopped red chilli.
- Make it veggie and use Quorn pieces instead of chicken.
- Swap the Parmesan for blue cheese.
- Add more veggies like sweetcorn or roasted courgette.
🥡 Storage
Store - in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat - in the microwave until piping hot.
Freeze - place in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
😋More chicken pasta recipes
Tried it? Let me know what you think and rate it ⭐️ below. Tag me @effortlessf00d-I'd love to see! Don't forget to subscribe for more recipes.
Recipe
Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta
Save this recipe for later?
Enter your email and I'll send it your way!
Ingredients
- 300 g Pasta
- 150 g Frozen Peas
- 50 g Baby Spinach
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 2 Garlic Cloves peeled and chopped
- 3 Chicken Breasts cut into bite size chunks
- 300 ml Creme Fraiche
- 3 tablespoon Green Pesto
- 5 Sun Dried Tomatoes chopped
- 50 g Parmesan grated
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 tablespoon Parsley chopped
Instructions
- Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta to al dente adding the frozen peas for the last 3 minutes of cooking and the baby spinach for the last 30 seconds. Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining.300 g Pasta, 150 g Frozen Peas, 50 g Baby Spinach
- Meanwhile heat the olive oil in a frying pan and cook the garlic and chicken pieces until the chicken changes colour.1 tablespoon Olive Oil, 2 Garlic Cloves, 3 Chicken Breasts
- Add the creme fraiche, pesto, Parmesan and sun-dried tomatoes. Cook for 4-5 minutes.300 ml Creme Fraiche, 3 tablespoon Green Pesto, 5 Sun Dried Tomatoes, 50 g Parmesan
- Add the drained pasta, peas and spinach, and as much pasta cooking water as you need to make a glossy sauce. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through and season with salt and pepper.Salt and Pepper
- Serve with chopped parsley.1 tablespoon Parsley
Elaine says
My kids love this pesto pasta. Great recipe.