How To Make A Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta

heavy cream

🥗Healthier: Greek yogurt

💰Cheaper: milk + cornstarch

Greek yogurt reduces calories while maintaining creaminess

parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grated pecorino

Nutritional yeast is a dairy-free alternative with a cheesy flavor.

Salt a pot of boiling water.

Pour in half of a 16oz box of penne and allow it to boil for 10 minutes.

Reserve half a cup of pasta water before draining.

Take one chicken breast sliced in half and drizzle with oil.

Season both sides with salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, onion powder, and garlic powder, then rub in the seasonings thoroughly.

In a pan over medium-high heat, add 1 tbsp of butter and 1 tbsp of olive oil and allow to heat up.

Add the seasoned chicken to the pan and cook for 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until golden and cooked through.

Remove the cooked chicken from the pan and set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium and pour in 1 cup of heavy whipping cream and 1 oz of cream cheese.

Season the sauce with salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, onion powder, and garlic powder.

Pour in the reserved pasta water and mix everything together.

Allow the sauce to simmer for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Pour in 1/2 cup of pesto and 1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese and stir until creamy.

Squeeze lemon into the sauce.

Add the cooked pasta back into the sauce and toss to coat.

Serve the creamy pesto chicken pasta.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens