Take the stress out of dinnertime with this easy Pesto Chicken Pasta! Loaded with red and green peppers, onions, chicken, pine nuts, and parmesan cheese, this pasta is quick, easy, and SO delicious.

I clearly remember, back in the day, when I finally had my own apartment in college. And I could finally start making my own meals, instead of eating the same old dorm food all the time. And although most of what I made was by no means gourmet, I did like to try my hand at the occasional new recipe.

So I attempted things like homemade gnocchi and bruschetta (made with day old bread from Jimmy Johns). I hosted my first dinner parties and liked to pretend I knew what I was doing. And I made a LOT of pasta.

But not just any pasta. I mean, there’s nothing fancy about buttered noodles or jarred spaghetti sauce. No, from the very start, I had ideas. And this Pesto Chicken Pasta was one of them.

There’s something about the peppers and onions and chicken that, to me, feels like a no-brainer. And when you add pine nuts and Parmesan cheese and PESTO… not only is it a no-brainer, but it’s a completely delicious no-brainer! Which is probably why I kept making this Pesto Chicken Pasta… and still do to this day!

what you’ll need for this recipe

Pasta – I used 8 ounces linguine, but feel free to use any pasta you have on hand.

Chicken – 1-2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast adds delicious flavor and protein to this dish. Substitute ground chicken or chicken sausage OR make it vegetarian.

Vegetables – I added red and green peppers and red onion. Additional vegetables would also be delicious, such as broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, spinach, or tomatoes.

Pesto – 16 ounces pesto adds amazing flavor to this dish. Use homemade pesto or your favorite store bought pesto (I love the Delallo Simply Pesto.) You can also use sun dried tomato pesto for a delicious twist.

Pine nuts & parmesan – Pine nuts (raw or toasted) and shaved parmesan cheese add delicious flavor and the perfect finishing touches.

how to make chicken pesto pasta

Make the noodles. Prepare 8 oz. linguine according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.

Sauté the chicken & vegetables. Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet. Cook 1.5 lbs. sliced chicken breast over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Remove from pan. In the same pan, heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil and saute 1 sliced red pepper, 1 sliced green pepper, and 1/2 red onion, sliced, and until tender-crisp.

Combine the ingredients. Add cooked chicken, linguine, pesto, olive oil, pine nuts, and parmesan cheese. Heat through.

Recipe Variations

Use any type of pasta (rigatoni, spaghetti, penne, macaroni)
Substitute chicken sausage, Italian sausage, or ground chicken for chicken breast
Use blackened chicken for extra flavor
Use sun dried tomato pesto in place of basil pesto
Substitute your favorite sauce, such as alfredo sauce or marinara sauce
Use any type of cheese, including fresh mozzarella, fontina, or ricotta
Add additional vegetables according to taste

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