Pesto Pasta - Spend With Pennies

Seasoned chunks of hen breast are simmered in a creamy basil pesto sauce with tender spaghetti. It’s a full meal that’s straightforward to make any day of the week!

creamy pesto pasta in a white serving bowl garnished with basil

Taste: Creamy, tacky pesto sauce with tender bites of hen and pasta.
Ability Degree: This recipe comes collectively quick utilizing ready-made pesto and primary pantry substances.
Funds Tip: Add additional pasta to stretch the meal additional.
Swaps: Make it a meatless meal and swap out the hen for blended veggies. Swap for rotisserie hen, shrimp, or roasted veggies for a full meal.

Elements Ideas for Pesto Pasta

Creamy Pesto Sauce: Jarred pesto makes this dish a cinch. But when your backyard is brimming with basil, make a homemade model and have heaps left over.
Pasta: Spaghetti is a good selection for creamy pesto pasta. It cooks shortly and holds simply the correct amount of sauce in each chunk. It retains the dish mild and easy, and chances are high you’ve already bought some within the pantry! If you happen to’re out of spaghetti, linguine, fettuccine, and even penne, they work simply as effectively.
Hen: Use contemporary boneless skinless hen breasts or hen cutlets. If quick on time, attempt a bag of frozen hen meatballs (add in Step 7 and warmth via).
Variations: Be at liberty so as to add diced zucchini, sliced mushrooms, asparagus, sun-dried tomatoes, or chopped spinach or kale.

creamy pesto pasta in a cooking dish with a wooden fork

For one of the best outcomes, cook dinner the pasta to al dente since it’s going to proceed to cook dinner when added to the sauce. You’ll want to reserve somewhat pasta sauce in case you must thicken the sauce in Step 7.
Be certain the hen items are reduce into bite-sized items in order that they cook dinner evenly and somewhat little bit of every little thing will get onto each forkful.
Take away the skillet from the warmth in Step 6 to stir within the parmesan cheese and pesto to forestall the dairy from scalding.

Leftovers

Maintain leftover hen pesto pasta in a lined container within the fridge for as much as 3 days. Get pleasure from it chilled for a straightforward workday lunch or reheat within the microwave with somewhat milk added to loosen the sauce.

It’s not really useful to freeze this recipe as a result of excessive quantity of dairy, which can develop into grainy as soon as thawed.

Serve Pesto Pasta With…

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Creamy Pesto Pasta

Creamy pesto pasta combines tender spaghetti and juicy hen in a deliciously wealthy creamy pesto sauce for the right household meal.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Prepare dinner Time 20 minutes

Whole Time 40 minutes

Prepare dinner ModeForestall your display from going darkish

In a big pot, cook dinner spaghetti in accordance with package deal instructions. Drain and reserve 1 cup pasta water.
In a frying pan, warmth olive oil over medium warmth. Season hen with dried basil, oregano, salt, and pepper.
Add hen to the pan and cook dinner till no pink stays, about 5-6 minutes. Take away from pan and put aside.
In the identical pan, add the butter and flour. Stir till easy and cook dinner 2-3 minutes.
Add half and half, heavy cream, and hen broth. Carry to a simmer over medium warmth and permit to simmer for 2-3 minutes or till barely thickened.
Take away from warmth, and stir in parmesan cheese and pesto.
Add cooked pasta to the pesto sauce and toss. Add extra pasta water as wanted to achieve desired consistency. Return the hen to the pan.
Garnish with basil, pine nuts, and parmesan cheese if desired.

Vitamin data doesn’t embrace garnish.
Maintain leftovers in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 3 days.

Vitamin data supplied is an estimate and can differ primarily based on cooking strategies and types of substances used.

Course Hen, Dinner, Pasta

Delicacies American

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This scrumptious dish is sponsored by Walmart and SheKnows Media.

I’m excited to have partnered with Walmart & SheKnows Media to deliver you this pesto pasta recipe. Whereas I used to be compensated, all ideas and opinions are my very own. Working with nice manufacturers I like permits me to maintain bringing you the good recipes you’re keen on!