Pesto Chicken Pasta

Al dente pasta and tender chicken breast tossed in fragrant pesto with sweet cherry tomatoes, finished with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

• Prep: 10 min
• Cook: 10 min
• Total: 20 min
• Servings: 1
• Cuisine: Italian
• Difficulty: Easy
• Cost: $4.49/serving

Dietary

• High-Protein
• Low-Sugar

Tags

• classic
• comfort food
• quick
• savory

Ingredients

• 2 ounce dried pasta
• 4 ounce chicken breast (cooked, diced)
• 0.25 cup basil pesto
• 0.5 cup cherry tomatoes (halved)
• 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese (grated)
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil leaves (chopped or torn)
• 0.125 teaspoon salt
• 0.125 teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground)

Instructions

1. Bring a small pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add 2 ounces dried pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente.
2. While the pasta cooks, in a small bowl, combine 4 ounces diced cooked chicken breast and 1/4 cup prepared basil pesto. Stir to coat the chicken evenly.
3. Drain the cooked pasta, reserving about 2 tablespoons of the pasta cooking water.
4. Return the drained pasta to the pot (off the heat). Add the pesto chicken mixture and 1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes. Add the reserved pasta water, if needed, to create a creamy sauce. Stir well to combine.
5. Season with 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper to taste.
6. Serve immediately, topped with 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves if using.

Notes

Using pre-cooked chicken makes this meal exceptionally fast. If you don't have fresh basil, you can omit it or use a tiny pinch of dried basil.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 620
• Protein: 40.5 g
• Carbohydrates: 40.2 g
• Fat: 33.1 g
• Fiber: 4.1 g
• Sodium: 880 mg
• Saturated Fat: 9.8 g
• Sugar: 4.5 g
• Cholesterol: 95 mg