Chicken Pesto Pasta

• servings: 6 servings
• active time: 10 minutes
• total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, (cut into 1-inch pieces)

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Kosher salt

Black pepper

8 ounces penne pasta, (preferably with ridges)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup parmesan cheese, (plus more for serving if you like)

1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, (drained if packed in oil)

1/2 cup basil pesto, (homemade or quality store-bought, plus more if you like)

1/2 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Handful of torn basil leaves, (for garnish)

Directions

Season the chicken. Add the chicken to a bowl and season with the Italian seasoning and a big pinch each of kosher salt and black pepper. Toss to coat.

Cook the pasta. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and salt it well with about 1 tablespoon of salt. Drop the pasta in the boiling water and cook until al dente according to package instructions (about 8 to 9 minutes).

Cook the chicken. While the pasta is cooking, add the olive oil to a large non-stick skillet and heat over medium-high. Add the chicken and cook, tossing occasionally, until golden brown on the outside and cooked through, about 7 to 8 minutes.

Drain the pasta. When the pasta is ready, reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water and drain.

Combine. To the pan with the chicken, lower the heat and stir in the cooked pasta, heavy cream, parmesan, and sundried tomatoes. Stir until everything is well combined. If it looks a bit dry, add a splash of the pasta cooking water (a couple tablespoons at a time) until the pasta is glossy and coated in the creamy sauce.

Add the pesto. Turn off the heat and take the pan off the burner. Stir in the basil pesto and finish with a sprinkle of grated parmesan, red pepper flakes, and basil leaves. Serve.

Nutrition

• Calories: 444.6 kcal
• Total Fat: 23.3 g
• Saturated Fat: 7.8 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 7.6 g
• Trans Fat: 0.01 g
• Cholesterol: 75.3 mg
• Sodium: 363.1 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 33.4 g
• Dietary Fiber: 2.3 g
• Total Sugars: 4 g
• Protein: 24.7 g