Pesto Chicken and Noodles
Buttery noodles, golden chicken, and a 2-ingredient pesto cream sauce. This super-simple meal is creamy and cheesy and makes it to the table in about 30 minutes.
I created this dish at the last minute, right after Luke said, “I’m hungry”. I typically plan my meals ahead, and I often have dinner prepped and ready by 5 PM. But it was Friday night, so I assumed Luke was going out (he was, just after dinner). So, I decided to “work my pantry” and come up with something fast, easy, and mouthwatering. I grabbed some chicken (gave it a quick thaw), noodles, cream, and pesto and — boom! A fantastic dinner was ready in a flash.
I love how satiny this sauce is. It’s a simple combination of cream and pesto, and the two meld together like butter. In fact, I used half-and-half (half milk and half cream) and the result was equally divine. If you want to shed some calories and fat, you can even use fat-free half-and-half.
This dish is unbelievably versatile too. You can use chicken breasts, tenders, or thighs. And if you have leftover chicken from a previous meal, also works (just skip cooking it first). I used yolk-free egg noodles, but any pasta shape works. And for the tomatoes, I used sliced grape tomatoes, but you can use any tomato product you have – fresh or canned.
What kind of pesto should you use? For the pesto, I used the refrigerated variety, but the shelf-stable pesto is great too. You just need 1/4 cup, and the essence of basil, parmesan, garlic, and toasted pine nuts permeates every noodle and tender piece of chicken.
Pesto Chicken and Noodles
Ingredients
- 12 ounces egg noodles of choice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, thighs, or tenders, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and ground black pepper
- 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
- 1/4 cup prepared pesto
- 1/3 cup chopped tomatoes or halved cherry/grape tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
- Chopped fresh basil or parsley for serving, optional
Equipment
Instructions
- Cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid, and cover with foil to keep warm.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned on all sides. Add the Italian seasoning and stir to coat. Cook for 30 seconds, until the herbs are fragrant. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
- Add the cream and pesto and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
- Fold in the noodles. If the sauce seems too thick, add some of the starchy pasta cooking liquid until you reach the desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Top with tomatoes, parmesan, and basil/parsley (if using) and serve.