Ready in less than 30 minutes, this Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta is a hearty, filling dinner filled with juicy chicken and tender pasta smothered in a quick and easy creamy pesto sauce.
Creamy Chicken and Pesto Pasta
Ready in less than 30 minutes, this creamy chicken pesto pasta is a hearty, filling dinner for just about anyone! Juicy chicken and tender pasta are smothered in a quick and easy creamy pesto sauce…it’s mouth-watering, y’all.
Creamy chicken pesto pasta has been a family favorite for years for a reason! Why? Because it’s quick, it’s easy, and best of all…it tastes amazing.
Sometimes, with so many people to feed in my family, it’s hard to find recipes we all love. It’s great when I find recipes everyone enjoys – and this pesto pasta certainly fits the bill.
I originally found this recipe years ago (maybe on the back of a soup can? I really can’t remember) and it has been in our recipe binder since then.
Served with a fresh salad and garlic bread, it’s an easy and flavorful weeknight meal the whole family will enjoy!
Chicken Pesto Pasta: Ingredients & Equipment
For this Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta recipe, you will need …
Ingredients
- Bow-tie pasta – Prepare these as you normally do at the start of the recipe. You can honestly use any kind of pasta you’d like, but I find that bow-ties hold the sauce on better and somehow just taste better, too. Maybe I’m imagining it?!
- chicken breasts – Cubed and skinless.
- butter – You’ll use this to cook your chicken breasts above.
- pesto sauce – This can be homemade or store-bought…either way! For time, I tend to buy pesto sauce already made.
- milk and cream of chicken soup – The “creamy” part of the creamy chicken pesto pasta! You’ll cook the chicken and pasta in this alongside the pesto sauce. Make sure the soup is undiluted!
Equipment
- cutting board and knife – to cut up your chicken.
- measuring cup – to measure out the pesto and milk.
- large skillet – what you’ll use to mix all the ingredients together!
- anything you usually use to cook pasta – for the start of the recipe when you get your bow-ties all prepared.
- colander – to drain your pasta
- cooking utensils – to cook your food, obviously.
Chicken Pesto Pasta: FAQs
About 4 servings – enough for a small family or get-together!
Only 25 minutes. Yes, really, y’all! Not 25 minutes for prep, not 25 minutes to cook…a full 25 minutes from start to finish. You’ll only need 5 minutes for prep and the rest is the cooking time.
Yes! I love having any leftovers for lunch – it’s just as delicious the next day. I usually microwave it until it’s heated through.
I have never done it but based on other pasta dishes I have frozen – this one should be okay, too! Make sure it’s wrapped well or put into a freezer-safe container. Allow the pasta to thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. Be careful you don’t overcook it so much that the pasta is mushy.
If that’s your thing – I don’t see why not. Personally, I prefer this warmed-up.
Any kind of vegetable, a salad, and some kind of bread – like garlic bread – are all great options. A fruit salad dish would be great as well.
Other recipes you may enjoy
Creamy Chicken and Pesto Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups uncooked bow tie pasta about half of a 16 oz. box
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts cubed
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted 10-3/4 oz.
- ½ cup prepared pesto sauce
- ½ cup milk
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the chicken in butter until browned, stirring often.
- Add soup, pesto, and milk. Bring to a boil. Cook over low heat for 5-7 minutes or until the internal juices of the chicken runs clear.
- Stir in pasta and heat through.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Homemade pesto sauce works great in this recipe!
Nutrition
Please note that the nutritional information listed on this page is an estimation based on the products I used. Ingredients and nutritional information can vary significantly between brands. Always be sure to read labels. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Likewise, recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them.
Originally published on October 14, 2012. Updated on March 12, 2022.
This looks delicious! Doesn't it make a pretty dish!
Sounds yummy!
I just posted an easy recipe also! I love to have quick recipes for my busy days, also for my "I don't wanna" days!
Yum Yum, this looks good! I have pinned it for future reference. 🙂
Jamie,I know what we are having for dinner tonight now. I have been baking all morning and thinking what can we have for a change for dinner. I like to prepare it in the morning to save time. This is ideal as I have a cooked chicken in the fridge at the moment so can adapt it.
I am visiting from Kathe with an E. I think I will follow you too,as I cook all the time. Nice blog you have. x
This pasta looks yummy and super easy! I love that. Thanks for linking to Tempt My Tummy.
Awesome weeknight family dish, Jamie! Thank you for sharing.
Thank you so much for sharing your awesome recipe with Full Plate Thursday. Hope you have a great weekend and come back soon!
Miz Helen
What a great quick meal. I have cream of mushroom soup… have you tried substituting? I will pin this.
This looks perfectly scrumptious! Thank you so much for sharing at Mom On Timeout. Hope to see you back tonight!
Thanks for sharing on Foodie Friends Friday.. I am just getting through last week's post and I hope you join us again this week.