Description
Creamy pesto pasta tossed with tender chicken and melted cheese, comforting, flavorful, and perfect for an easy homemade meal.
Ingredients
- Penne pasta – 12 ounces
- Chicken breast – 1 pound, cut into bite-sized pieces
- Olive oil – 2 tablespoons
- Salt – 1 teaspoon
- Black pepper – 0.5 teaspoon
- Basil pesto – 0.75 cup
- Heavy cream – 0.5 cup
- Mozzarella cheese – 1 cup, shredded
- Parmesan cheese – 0.5 cup, finely grated
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the penne pasta until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Season the chicken pieces with salt and black pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a wide skillet over medium heat and cook the chicken until golden and fully cooked.
- Lower the heat and stir in the basil pesto and heavy cream until combined.
- Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss gently to coat.
- Stir in the mozzarella and parmesan cheese until melted and creamy.
- Taste, adjust seasoning if needed, and serve warm.
Notes
- Reserve a little pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed.
- Keep heat low after adding cheese to prevent separation.
- Serve immediately for the best creamy texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 620
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 780 mg
- Fat: 34 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 46 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 36 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg