Pesto Chicken Pasta

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. Whether you’re a huge pesto fan or trying it for the first time, you’ll love the amazing flavor it adds to this pasta dish. Perfect for busy weeknights, Sunday family dinners, or even date nights, this Pesto Chicken Pasta comes together quickly and is guaranteed to become a favorite!

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.

The truth is….once you try pesto, and realize how much flavor is packed into every. single. bite….you kind of want to put it in everything. Or maybe that’s just me.

Regardless, somewhere along the line I got my first taste of it, and from that point on I was hooked. I started adding it to sandwiches, like this Pesto Avocado Melt, and soups, like this White Bean Pesto Soup. I started adding it to salads and deviled eggs and pizzas and pretty much anything I could think of.

And I kept making this Pesto Chicken Pasta. Again and again and again.

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!

This Pesto Chicken Pasta has the perfect blend of flavors and colors and textures, and it literally couldn’t be easier to make. It’s ready in 30 minutes or less, easy to prep in advance, and it requires very little hands on time. Which means it’s the ideal meal for busy people! In other words, all of us!

To make this Pesto Chicken Pasta exceptionally easy, I chose to use prepared basil pesto, which is available in the Italian food aisle at your local grocery store. Of course, you can also make your own pesto using this recipe, or you can mix things up by using sun dried tomato pesto.

Any way you make it, you’re going to love this Pesto Chicken Pasta. And, if you’re anything like me, you might just decide you need to start adding pesto to ALL THE THINGS. Because, just like bacon, pesto really does make EVERYTHING better!

4.86 from 7 votes

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Pesto Chicken Pasta

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. Whether you're a huge pesto fan or trying it for the first time, you'll love the amazing flavor it adds to this pasta dish. Perfect for busy weeknights, Sunday family dinners, or even date nights, this Pesto Chicken Pasta comes together quickly and is guaranteed to become a favorite! 

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 8

Calories 331 kcal

Author Cathy Trochelman

Ingredients

• 8 oz. linguine noodles (1/2 box)
• 1.5 lbs. chicken breast sliced
• 1 red pepper sliced
• 1 green pepper sliced
• 1/2 red onion sliced
• 1 6 oz. jar pesto
• 4 Tbsp. olive oil divided
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese shaved

Instructions

1. Prepare linguine according to package instructions. Drain.

2. Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet. Cook chicken over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Remove from pan.

3. In the same pan, heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil and saute peppers and onions until tender-crisp.

4. Add cooked chicken, linguine, pesto, 2 Tbsp. olive oil, pine nuts, and 1/4 c. parmesan cheese. Heat through.

Top with remaining parmesan cheese before serving.

Nutrition Facts

Pesto Chicken Pasta

Amount Per Serving

Calories 331 Calories from Fat 126

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 14g 22%

Saturated Fat 2g 10%

Cholesterol 58mg 19%

Sodium 203mg 8%

Potassium 476mg 14%

Total Carbohydrates 24g 8%

Dietary Fiber 1g 4%

Sugars 2g

Protein 24g 48%

Vitamin A 11.9%

Vitamin C 39.4%

Calcium 8.7%

Iron 6.2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.