Chicken Pesto Pasta is a quick, easy, and creamy pasta loaded with juicy chicken and tender asparagus. It’s a quick 30-minute meal that’s both satisfying and delicious. Everyone in our family adores this meal, so I know it will become a staple in your meal rotation as well.
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Helpful Reader Review
“Loved this quick and easy recipe. Had my son, wife and their young daughter for dinner and she ate 5 helpings. Think this recipe is a keeper. I loved the crisp tenderness of the asparagus most of all. From 8 servings-no leftovers” – Judy ★★★★★
Chicken Pesto Pasta Video
Watch me create this 30-minute meal using simple ingredients for a spectacular dinner in just a few easy steps. You’ll love the simplicity!
Easy Chicken Pesto Pasta Recipe
I love the story of this Pesto Chicken Pasta dish! It was actually shared by one of our readers, Katie N., and it was love at first bite – an instant hit! Thank you, Katie, for generously sharing your amazing recipe with all of us.
This Pesto Pasta is simple with a very short list of ingredients, but the flavor is delicious. All you need is heavy whipping cream and Basil Pesto for the sauce, and then I cook the chicken, asparagus, and sauce in one skillet. It doesn’t get any easier, and clean up is a breeze.
My family and I love creamy pastas like our Cajun Chicken Pasta, Baked Feta Pasta, or Creamy Shrimp Pasta. This chicken pesto pasta recipe takes a cream sauce to the next level.
Ingredients for Pesto Chicken Pasta
You’ll need just 5 Ingredients for my chicken pesto pasta recipe, along with olive oil, salt, and pepper. It’s that simple to make a complete and satisfying 30-minute dinner.
- Chicken Breasts – or chicken thighs, chicken tenders, or swap with 2 cups of pre-cooked rotisserie chicken or leftover Spatchcock Chicken (skip step 2 if already cooked).
- Asparagus – to clean and trim the asparagus, first rinse in water, and then cut the ends where the green begins to turn white. Cut the stalks into 3rds.
- Heavy whipping cream – the basis of the rich and creamy sauce. You can swap with dairy-free (one of my readers reported great results using canned coconut milk).
- Pesto sauce – Pesto is a creamy, blended, bright green sauce originally from Italy, typically made from basil, nuts (often pine nuts), parmesan, garlic, and olive oil. Homemade Pesto tastes best, but store-bought pesto works fine (I like Kirkland Signature Pesto from Costco). Pesto sauce is freezer-friendly, so if you make or buy a big batch, you can freeze portions of it for later.
- Pasta – I prefer fettuccini for this recipe since it holds the sauce nicely, but any kind of pasta will work (try my Homemade Pasta), like rigatoni, spaghetti, penne pasta, or pappardelle.
Substitutions
The ingredients for this chicken pesto pasta recipe are so easy to swap to fit what you have on hand. Try these easy variations:
- Protein – use pan-seared steak, pork, shrimp, or tofu, or omit the meat for a vegetarian dish.
- Vegetables – use whatever fresh veggies you have on hand, or leave the veggies out. Try frozen peas, broccoli, cauliflower, snap peas, blanched green beans, or mushrooms. Also, try adding halved cherry tomatoes or sun-dried tomatoes at the end.
- Pasta – go low-carb or gluten-free! Replace the pasta with Spaghetti Squash or with zucchini noodles made with a spiralizer.
How to Make Chicken Pesto Pasta
Whip up this quick chicken pesto pasta for dinner tonight. It’s quick and easy and can be served right in the same pot!
- Cook the pasta – boil salted water in a large pot and cook the pasta according to the package directions. Do not rinse the pasta – the starchy exterior will cling to the sauce better.
- Cook the chicken – season the chicken and slice it into two cutlets. Cook in a large skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes on each side. Then remove and slice in half, and then into strips.
- Saute asparagus – add olive oil and asparagus pieces and cook 2-3 minutes.
- Make the Sauce – heat the heavy whipping cream to a simmer for 3 minutes. Toss in the pesto and cooked chicken, and then cook for 2 more minutes to warm through. Do not boil the sauce or the sauce can separate. Season the sauce with salt to taste.
- Add the pasta – add the cooked pasta, stir, and serve immediately!
Natasha’s Tip for Salting Pasta Water
To flavor the pasta, from the inside out, salt should be added to the pasta cooking water so that the water tastes like ocean water before adding the pasta. This will season the pasta from the inside out. Plan on 1 1/2 Tbsp fine sea salt per 6 quarts of water, or 2 Tbsp Morton kosher salt, or 1/4 cup Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. I learned this tip from Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat, and it’s a game-changer.
What to Serve with Chicken Pesto Pasta
I love serving Chicken Pesto Pasta with a Crusty French Bread, Garlic Bread, or Sourdough bread to soak up all the delicious pesto sauce. Since it’s very hearty on its own, I like to pair it with one of these simple salads:
Make-Ahead
This pasta is best served right away, but it makes for great leftovers as well. Be sure to allow the dish to cool and then package it in an airtight container.
- To Refrigerate: refrigerate in an airtight container for 3-4 days (per USDA guidelines for storing cooked chicken).
- Freezing: You can freeze up to 1 month, but cook the pasta al dente so it doesn’t get too mushy when reheated. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
- To Reheat: Warm the pasta on low heat, stirring often. If you overheat, the cream can separate and seem oily. You can add a splash of cream, broth, or milk to bring the sauce back together.
My 30-minute chicken pesto pasta recipe is the perfect meal for any night when you need a quick, flavorful, and satisfying meal. Wow–it’s delicious! I know you’ll love this recipe and make it over and over again!
Chicken Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breasts, trimmed
- 1 tsp salt, (divided)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 lb asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into 2″ pieces
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 4 Tbsp pesto sauce
- 4 Tbsp olive oil
- 12 oz fettuccini pasta, (or linguine)
Instructions
- Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water* according to package instructions to your desired doneness. While pasta is cooking, proceed with the recipe then add drained cooked pasta to the sauce in step 5.
- Cook Chicken – Cut chicken breasts in half lengthwise and season all sides with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Heat a large, deep skillet over medium heat with 2 Tbsp olive oil. When oil is hot, add chicken in a single layer and saute until fully cooked through (3 min per side). Remove from pan and rest 5 minutes, then slice into bite-sized strips.
- Saute Asparagus – Add 2 Tbsp olive oil to the same pan with asparagus pieces. Sautee stirring occasionally for 2-3 minutes or until crisp tender.
- Make the Sauce – Add 2 cups heavy whipping cream, bring to a simmer and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in 4 Tbsp pesto then add chicken breasts and cook 2 minutes. Season sauce with 1/2 tsp salt or to taste.
- Combine and Serve – Add cooked pasta, stirring to coat noodles in sauce. Remove from heat and serve right away. Garnish with basil or parsley if desired.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
More 30-Minute Meals to Try
If you love this chicken pesto pasta recipe, you have to try these other quick and tasty meals:
- Shrimp Fried Rice
- Shrimp Scampi Pasta with Asparagus
- Chicken Stir Fry
- Beef Chili
- Chicken Fried Rice
- Monterey Chicken
- Sloppy Joes
Love watching you cook these delious recipes
I’m happy you’re enjoying our recipes!
Hi Natasha, I made this tonight for dinner . It was amazing and so easy to make. I added mushrooms. It was wonderful! My husband loved it. I will defiantly make this again.
Thanks, Velta
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the wonderful review!
Hi Natasha
We made this dish tonight and it was great except ours was a bit oily. Could it be the cream that would cause it to be oily?
What is heavy whipping cream? What would I use (I am from South Africa).
Love watching your videos
Greetings
Tilana
Hi Tilana, the cream may be the culprit, if it gets overheated or overcooked it will turn oily.
Hi Tilana. I also live in SA. I use Woolies regular whipping cream and it works well!
Thank you Kim!
Hi Natasha,
Thank you. I cant wait to try our your pesto sauce recipe. So excited. Love you videos and recipes.
Your churro one is a firm favorite in our home. A blessed 2021 to you and your family.
Aruna (Johannesburg – South Africa)
Thank you, Aruna. I hope you love that recipe!
I done this recipe for the 1st time tonight and it was a big win for the family. Thanks so much! I love watching you cook your recipes.
You are very much welcome, Nathalie. I’m glad your family enjoyed this recipe!
Could I use a white sauce instead of cream. ????
Hi Nancy, I’m not sure what you mean by white sauce – do you mean a pre-made alfredo? I think it’s worth experimenting if you have a great one, but you might start with a small batch to make sure the flavors are complimentary.
Hello! We do not have heavy whipping cream on hand. Only 2%… do you think it’d still be okay with that? Or should I hold off on this recipe until my next grocery trip?
Thanks!
Hello Melissa, I haven’t tried and tested that in this recipe. A lighter cream would make a thinner sauce.
You are my F A V O R I T E chef ever. I looooovvveeee your videos and how simple you make everything look. It is so easy to follow your steps. You have inspired me to combine spices and create dishes I’ve never thought I would some day.
I just tried your Chicken Pesto Pasta recipe with my twisty (I used prawns cut in half – bite size – and sautéed lightly on garlic, ghee, Alaea salt and black pepper) and it turns out to me amazing.
Thank you so much for your up lifting videos. You have that positive high energy we all need right now in America. xoxo
Hello Luis, your comment just made my day so much better. Thank you for your kind words and great feedback, this helps inspire me to do better and create more recipes. Again, I appreciate you sharing this with us! Take care and I hope you’ll love every recipe that you will try!
The recipe looks amazing and easy!!
Would you have a recommendation for lactose free needs?
Would love to hear!!💕
Tu sooo much!!!
Hi Linda, I’m so happy to hear that you love our recipes. I honestly haven’t tried this recipe dairy-free, so I’m not sure if something like canned coconut milk would work. I came across some recipes online that do use canned coconut milk like this one which might help inspire you.
P.S. If anyone has tried this dairy-free and can offer advice, please let us know!
I too am Lactose free and I have used Land O Lakes Lactose free half and half in place of my heavy whipping cream and it turns out just wonderfully. Please remember that Parmesan and Pecorino cheeses as well as AGED cheeses are naturally lactose free!
That is a great tip! Thank you!
Love this recipe!!
I’m glad to hear that, Lisa!
Hi Natasha. Love your recipes! Looking forward to making this later this week. Would it work with boneless pork chops? If you have a recipe for pork chops I’d appreciate it. Thank you for your wonderful recipes. I’ve enjoyed every one I’ve tried and often come to your website if I can’t find what I’m looking for. Keep up the great work!
Hi Christine, I have not tested this with boneless pork to advise. If you happen to try that out, I would love to know how you like this recipe!
Easy and delicious! I used the shredded rotisserie chicken from Costco and that made it even easier!
Thanks for your great feedback and review, Carmen. We appreciate it!
Excellent recipe as are all of your recipes. I made it with green beans since it is difficult to find good asparagus in Canada in November. I will certainly do it again.
Hi Danielle, I’m so glad you enjoyed the pesto pasta recipe!
This looks great! What pans did you use in this video for both the pasta boiling and the chicken. ?
Thanks, Sharyl. We used this Staub braiser here. I hope that helps.
thank you! And what about the stainless steel pan used to boil the water?
Hi Sharyl, check out all of our favorite kitchen tools in our Amazon shop.
Thank you!
This is a very flavorful dish. Everyone in my family enjoyed it for dinner tonight. The pasta is creamy and asparagus tastes Great! I will be making this recipe again.
I’m so happy to hear that Yevgenia! Thank you for that great review!
I so love your recipes Natasha, they are so user-friendly. I write up a weekly meal planner and use your recipes. Thank you so much.
You’re welcome, Janette! I’m glad you enjoyed that!
Made your Chicken Pesto Pasta last night and it was delicious! I got 5 stars for dinner from my family. My older son who is my biggest critic and is always telling me what I should have done differently raved about it. Didn’t change a thing. This is definitely a keeper! Thank you so much for sharing.
Hello Trudy, thank you so much for your wonderful review and feedback. Thanks for sharing that with us!
Your posts are addicting, it makes me want to cook more often as you make it look easy! Thank you!
Aww, that’s the best Mercedes! I’m so glad you’re enjoying our recipes!
Is spinach ok to use? I love your recipes!
Hi Rachel, are you referring to in place of asparagus? I haven’t tested that to advise but I bet that could work.
Yumm!! And is so easy to make with readily available pesto sauce from the shelf.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!