Pesto Chicken Pasta Delight (Print)

Juicy grilled chicken tossed with pasta, basil pesto, cherry tomatoes, and spinach for quick, vibrant meals.

# Ingredients:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 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
11 - Extra Parmesan cheese, for serving

# Directions:

01 - Season chicken breasts with salt and black pepper evenly.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken 4 to 5 minutes per side until fully cooked and charred. Transfer to plate, let rest 5 minutes, then slice thinly.
03 - Boil a large pot of salted water. Cook pasta until al dente according to package directions. Reserve ¼ cup pasta water, then drain pasta.
04 - In the same pot, heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Add cherry tomatoes and cook 2 minutes until slightly softened.
05 - Return drained pasta to pot. Stir in basil pesto, reserved pasta water, and grated Parmesan until pasta is evenly coated.
06 - Gently fold sliced chicken and baby spinach into pasta mixture. Toss until spinach wilts.
07 - Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately topped with fresh basil leaves and extra Parmesan if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Dinner comes together in under 30 minutes, which means weeknight cooking doesn't have to mean compromising on flavor.
  • The chicken stays juicy and tender when you halve the breasts before grilling, and that charred crust adds a depth you can't skip.
  • Pesto does the heavy lifting here—no cream sauces or complicated techniques needed.
02 -
  • Halving the chicken breasts horizontally is not optional if you want them cooked through without drying out; it's the difference between tender and tough.
  • Reserving pasta water is essential—those starchy few tablespoons are what transforms pesto from a thick paste into something that clings to every strand and tastes balanced.
  • Taste your pesto before you use it; some brands are assertively salty or garlicky, and you need to know that before seasoning the whole dish.
03 -
  • Slice the chicken against the grain once it's cooled slightly—this simple move makes each bite more tender than you'd expect from a thin, quick-cooked piece.
  • If your pesto looks too thick to coat the pasta smoothly, the reserved pasta water is your adjustment tool; add it gradually while tossing until the consistency looks glossy and cling-ready.
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