This creamy chicken pesto pasta is a simple, flavourful dish that brings together tender chicken, bright green pesto and comforting pasta in a rich, silky sauce.
Fast to prepare and satisfying, it’s an excellent weeknight dinner for busy families or anyone who wants a hearty, tasty meal with minimal fuss.
If you enjoy chicken pasta, try similar recipes like creamy paprika chicken pasta or BBQ chicken pasta for more midweek ideas.
✔️ Why you’ll love this recipe!
- Quick and easy to make.
- Family-friendly and crowd-pleasing.
- Hearty enough for a filling midweek meal.
🛒 Ingredient notes
Pasta – 300g penne or any pasta shape you prefer (fusilli works well).
Peas – frozen peas or petit pois.
Spinach – a handful of baby spinach stirred in at the end.
Olive oil – 1 tablespoon for cooking the chicken and garlic.
Garlic – 2 cloves, peeled and chopped.
Chicken breasts – 3 boneless, skinless breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces.
Crème fraîche – full-fat to keep the sauce smooth and stable.
Green pesto – store-bought or homemade, about 3 tablespoons.
Parmesan – 50g finely grated (or Grana Padano).
Sun-dried tomatoes – chopped for sweet, concentrated flavour.
Parsley – chopped to garnish and brighten the dish.
Salt and pepper – to taste.
🔪 Instructions
One: Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Cook the pasta until al dente, adding the frozen peas for the last 3 minutes and the baby spinach for the final 30 seconds. Reserve a cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain.
Two: Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and sauté the garlic briefly. Add the chicken pieces and cook until they start to change colour and are mostly cooked through.
Three: Stir in the crème fraîche, pesto, grated Parmesan and chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Let the sauce bubble gently for 4–5 minutes so the flavours meld.
Four: Add the drained pasta, peas and spinach to the pan. Add a splash of the reserved pasta water at a time and toss until the sauce becomes glossy and coats the pasta. Season with salt and pepper, simmer briefly until the chicken is cooked through, then serve with chopped parsley and extra Parmesan.
Top Tips
- Reserve a cup of pasta water to loosen and emulsify the sauce.
- Leftover roast chicken works well—add it with the pasta so it warms through.
- Check seasoning at the end and adjust with salt, pepper or a squeeze of lemon if needed.
🍴 Serving suggestions
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Serve with crispy garlic bread
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Try pesto focaccia as a side
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Green beans or a simple salad balance the meal
-
Roasted broccoli with Parmesan
📖 Variations
- Add chopped red chilli for heat.
- Make it vegetarian with meat-free chicken alternatives like Quorn pieces.
- Swap Parmesan for a stronger cheese such as blue cheese for a different flavour profile.
- Add extra vegetables such as sweetcorn or roasted courgette for more texture and colour.
🥡 Storage
Store – keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Reheat – warm gently in the microwave or on the stove with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.
Freeze – cool completely, then freeze in a suitable container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
😋 More chicken pasta recipes
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Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta
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Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
-
Creamy Paprika Chicken Pasta
-
BBQ Chicken Pasta
Tried this recipe? Let me know how it went and leave a rating. Tag @effortlessf00d on Instagram — I’d love to see your photos.
Recipe
Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- 300 g pasta
- 150 g frozen peas
- 50 g baby spinach
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
- 3 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized chunks
- 300 ml crème fraîche
- 3 tablespoons green pesto
- 5 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 50 g Parmesan, grated
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped (to garnish)
Instructions
- Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Cook the pasta until al dente, add the frozen peas for the last 3 minutes and the spinach for the last 30 seconds. Reserve a cup of pasta water, then drain.
- While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a frying pan. Sauté the garlic briefly, then add the chicken and cook until it has changed colour and is nearly cooked through.
- Add the crème fraîche, pesto, grated Parmesan and chopped sun-dried tomatoes to the chicken. Simmer for 4–5 minutes to combine the flavours.
- Toss in the drained pasta, peas and spinach. Add pasta water a little at a time until the sauce is glossy and coats the pasta. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through, season to taste, and serve sprinkled with chopped parsley and extra Parmesan.