Description
Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta blends tender pasta, juicy chicken, crisp asparagus, and a rich pesto cream sauce into one comforting and flavor-packed meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz fettuccine or penne
- 2 cups cooked chicken, sliced or shredded
- 1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup basil pesto
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente, then drain and reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
- In a deep skillet over medium heat, sauté garlic in olive oil until fragrant. Add asparagus and cook for 3–4 minutes until just tender.
- Lower heat, stir in heavy cream and pesto, and let warm gently without boiling.
- Add cooked chicken to the skillet and stir to combine. Then add cooked pasta and Parmesan cheese, tossing to coat evenly.
- Use reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.
- Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Let sit off heat for a minute before serving.
- Garnish with extra Parmesan or basil if desired and serve hot.
Notes
- Use freshly grated Parmesan for the best melt and flavor.
- Don’t overcook the asparagus — it should be slightly crisp.
- A splash of lemon juice can brighten up the dish if it’s feeling too rich.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 610
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 410mg
- Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 34g
- Cholesterol: 115mg
Keywords: creamy chicken pesto pasta, chicken pesto, pesto pasta, easy dinner, pasta with asparagus