Pesto Chicken Pasta Delight (Printer View)

Tender grilled chicken and pasta with basil pesto, cherry tomatoes, and fresh spinach in a quick, flavorful meal.

# What you'll need:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved horizontally

→ Pasta

02 - 12 oz penne or fusilli pasta

→ Sauce & Flavorings

03 - ½ cup store-bought basil pesto
04 - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Vegetables

07 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
08 - 2 cups baby spinach leaves

→ Seasonings

09 - Salt, to taste
10 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

11 - Fresh basil leaves, for serving
12 - Additional Parmesan cheese, for serving

# Method:

01 - Sprinkle both sides of the chicken breasts with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Grill the chicken for 4 to 5 minutes per side until fully cooked and charred. Transfer to a plate and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing thinly.
03 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ¼ cup of pasta water before draining.
04 - In the same pot, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add halved cherry tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes until softened.
05 - Return the drained pasta to the pot. Stir in basil pesto, reserved pasta water, and grated Parmesan cheese until the pasta is evenly coated.
06 - Fold in the sliced grilled chicken and baby spinach leaves. Toss gently until the spinach just begins to wilt.
07 - Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as desired. Serve immediately garnished with fresh basil leaves and extra Parmesan cheese if preferred.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in 30 minutes flat, which means you're eating actual good food before 7 PM.
  • One pot does most of the heavy lifting, so cleanup feels almost like a reward.
  • The chicken stays juicy, the pasta gets coated perfectly, and somehow it feels restaurant-quality in your own kitchen.
02 -
  • Reserve your pasta water before draining—that starchy liquid turns a dry coating into a silky one that actually clings to each piece.
  • Don't skip resting the chicken; those five minutes make the difference between juicy slices and tough ones.
  • Pesto is salty, so taste before you add more salt at the end or you'll overshoot it.
03 -
  • Grill the chicken in batches if your pan is crowded; overcrowding drops the temperature and you lose that beautiful char.
  • If the pasta seems too dry after you've mixed everything, add pasta water a splash at a time until it's silky, not soupy.
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