Description
A quick and creamy chicken pesto pasta dish layered with gooey cheese, toasted walnuts, and fresh basil—ready in just 30 minutes for an easy, satisfying meal.
Ingredients
500 g (1 lb) pasta (any type)
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
80 g (⅓ cup) basil pesto (about ½ jar)
100 ml (⅓ cup) single cream
100 ml (⅓ cup) vegetable stock (made with a stock cube)
2 Tbsp walnuts, chopped
1 ball mozzarella, torn
1 bunch basil, chopped
50 g (½ cup) parmesan cheese, grated
Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package instructions, drain, and set aside.
- Place chicken breasts between greaseproof paper and pound to even thickness. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Cook chicken for 5–7 minutes per side, until juices run clear. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pan, sauté minced garlic for about 3 minutes until golden and fragrant. Stir in pesto.
- Add cream and vegetable stock, stirring to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer to heat through.
- Add cooked pasta to the pan, tossing well to coat with sauce.
- Slice the chicken and arrange on top of the pasta. Scatter torn mozzarella, walnuts, parmesan, and chopped basil over the dish. Finish with black pepper to taste.
Notes
- Use any pasta shape—penne, fusilli, or spaghetti all work well.
- Chicken can be cooked ahead and reheated in the sauce.
- Toasted nuts add extra flavor and texture.
- Adjust pesto and cheese amounts to taste.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion (1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 560
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 480 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 46 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 33 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
