This One Pot Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta is the definition of weeknight perfection it’s quick, incredibly easy to clean up, and absolutely bursting with fresh, savory flavor. Tender pieces of chicken and penne pasta are cooked right in the skillet, soaking up every drop of garlic-infused chicken broth, before being enveloped in a luscious sauce made with cream cheese and bright basil pesto.
This quick-cooking, creamy pasta dish is rich, herb-filled, and finished with a satisfying sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, black pepper, and a subtle warmth from crushed red pepper.
Recipe Details
- Flavor Profile: Fresh, bright, and savory. The dominant flavors are herbaceous basil pesto, rich dairy, and savory chicken, lifted by fresh garlic and a subtle hint of spice.
- Texture: Tender, perfectly cooked penne pasta and juicy 1-inch chicken pieces, all coated in a smooth, thick, and creamy sauce.
- Total Time: Just 10 minutes of active prep time and about 20 minutes of cooking time, making it a perfect meal for busy evenings.
- Difficulty: Easy. As a one-pot meal, the process is straightforward it involves simple sautéing followed by simmering the pasta directly in the cooking liquid.
What You’ll Need
This streamlined one-pot recipe minimizes dishes while maximizing flavor by using the cooking liquid as the base for the sauce. The core components are boneless, skinless chicken breast and penne pasta, which are cooked in a blend of chicken broth and butter-sautéed garlic. The final creamy finish comes from cream cheese, milk, classic basil pesto, and grated Parmesan.
Ingredient Notes
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast – Cutting the chicken into uniform 1-inch pieces ensures they brown evenly during the initial sauté and cook through perfectly as the pasta simmers.
- Basil Pesto – Use a high-quality basil pesto from a jar or, even better, homemade. Pesto provides the majority of the fresh, herbaceous flavor in the sauce.
- Cream Cheese – The cream cheese is the secret weapon for the creamy factor. Cutting it into small chunks helps it melt quickly and seamlessly into the hot liquid, thickening the sauce.
- Penne Pasta – This medium-sized tube pasta is ideal for one-pot dishes because its shape holds up well during simmering and captures the thick, creamy sauce beautifully.
- Chicken Broth – Using broth instead of plain water to cook the pasta is essential as it infuses a deep savory flavor into every strand of pasta as it absorbs the liquid.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Extra Protein: For a heartier dish, consider stirring in a 1/2 cup of drained, oil-packed artichoke hearts along with the pesto and cream cheese.
- Vegetable Boost: If you want more greens but are out of spinach, you can easily substitute the optional fresh spinach with 2 cups of chopped kale. Stir until tender before serving.
- Dairy Variations: You can substitute the milk with half-and-half for an even richer, thicker sauce consistency.
- Cheese Swap: Instead of Parmesan, you can substitute grated Pecorino Romano for a sharper, saltier finish.
How to Make One Pot Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta
This streamlined method ensures the pasta and chicken cook perfectly together, all in one deep skillet.
- Sauté the Chicken: Cut the 1 lb. chicken breast into 1-inch pieces. Add the 2 Tbsp butter to a deep skillet and melt it over medium heat. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook over medium heat until the chicken is slightly browned on the outside.
- Add Garlic: While the chicken is cooking, mince the 2 cloves of garlic. Add the minced garlic to the skillet with the chicken and continue to sauté for just one minute more.
- Start the Simmer: Add the 1/2 lb. of uncooked penne pasta and the 1.5 cups of chicken broth to the skillet with the chicken and garlic. Stir to dissolve any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet (this adds flavor!). Place a lid on the skillet, turn the heat up to medium-high, and bring the broth up to a full boil.
- Simmer the Pasta: Once the broth comes to a full boil, give the pasta a quick stir, replace the lid, and turn the heat down to medium-low. Let the pasta simmer over medium-low heat for about 8 minutes, or until the pasta is tender and most of the broth has been absorbed. It is important to stir the pasta briefly every two minutes as it simmers, replacing the lid quickly each time.
- Finish the Cream Sauce: Once the pasta is tender and most of the broth is absorbed, add the 1 cup of milk, the 3 oz. cream cheese (cut into chunks), and the 1/3 cup of basil pesto. Stir and cook over medium heat until the cream cheese has fully melted into the sauce, making it rich and smooth. Finally, add the 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan and stir until it is combined.
- Stir in Optional Add-Ins: If using, add the 3 cups of fresh spinach and the 1/4 cup of sliced sun dried tomatoes. Stir only until the spinach has wilted, then immediately remove the pasta from the heat. Pro Tip: Removing the skillet from the heat right after the spinach wilts ensures the chicken stays tender and the sauce remains perfectly creamy without over-reducing.
- Serve: Top the pasta with freshly cracked pepper and a pinch of crushed red pepper, then serve immediately.
Recipe Tips
- Use a Deep Skillet: A deep skillet (like a 12-inch cast iron or stainless steel braiser) is necessary to contain the liquid and allow the pasta to simmer without boiling over.
- Scrape the Bottom: When adding the broth, make sure to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the skillet (the fond). These bits are packed with flavor and are key to a savory sauce.
- Stir to Prevent Sticking: Stirring the pasta every two minutes during the simmering phase is crucial. This prevents the starch from the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the skillet and ensures uniform cooking.
- Cut Cream Cheese into Chunks: Don’t add the cream cheese whole. Cutting it into smaller chunks helps it melt much faster and blend into the sauce without leaving behind clumps.
FAQs
- Q: Why do I only use a small amount of liquid? A: This is the magic of the one-pot method! The pasta cooks in exactly the amount of liquid needed. As the starch releases, it naturally thickens the remaining liquid into the perfect sauce base.
- Q: Can I use frozen chicken? A: We recommend using fresh chicken, as frozen chicken releases excess water when cooking, which can throw off the liquid ratios needed to cook the pasta correctly.
- Q: How should I store leftovers? A: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat slowly on the stovetop with a splash of extra milk or broth to revive the sauce.
Serving Suggestions
This creamy pesto pasta is hearty enough to stand alone, but a fresh side can make the meal complete.
- Green Salad: A simple side salad with a light lemon vinaigrette offers a bright, acidic contrast to the rich cream sauce.
- Crusty Bread: Serve with warm, crusty bread or garlic bread to soak up every last bit of the creamy sauce.
- Roasted Vegetables: A side of lightly roasted asparagus or broccoli makes for a great textural and nutritional balance.
Make This Recipe in Advance
Since this is a quick one-pot meal, most of the prep is done right before cooking. However, you can certainly cut your chicken breast into 1-inch pieces and mince your garlic up to 24 hours in advance and store them in the refrigerator, ready to go when you are!
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One Pot Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta (30-Minute Meal)
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
This One Pot Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta is the definition of weeknight perfection it’s quick, incredibly easy to clean up, and absolutely bursting with fresh, savory flavor. Tender pieces of chicken and penne pasta are cooked right in the skillet, soaking up every drop of garlic-infused chicken broth, before being enveloped in a luscious sauce made with cream cheese and bright basil pesto. This rich, herb-filled dish is finished with a satisfying sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and a subtle warmth from crushed red pepper.
Ingredients
For the Chicken and Pasta Base
- 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 lb. penne pasta
- 1.5 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup milk
- 3 oz. cream cheese, cut into chunks
- 1/3 cup basil pesto
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
- freshly cracked pepper, for serving
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper, for serving
Optional Add-Ins
- 3 cup fresh spinach
- 1/4 cup sliced sun dried tomatoes
Instructions
Step 1: Sauté the Chicken
Cut the 1 lb. chicken breast into 1-inch pieces. Add the 2 Tbsp butter to a deep skillet and melt it over medium heat. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook over medium heat until the chicken is slightly browned on the outside.
Step 2: Add Garlic
Mince the 2 cloves of garlic. Add the minced garlic to the skillet with the chicken and continue to sauté for just one minute more, until fragrant.
Step 3: Start the Simmer
Add the 1/2 lb. of uncooked penne pasta and the 1.5 cups of chicken broth to the skillet with the chicken and garlic. Stir to dissolve any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet (this adds flavor!). Place a lid on the skillet, turn the heat up to medium-high, and bring the broth up to a full boil.
Step 4: Simmer the Pasta
Once the broth comes to a full boil, give the pasta a quick stir, replace the lid, and turn the heat down to medium-low. Let the pasta simmer over medium-low heat for about 8 minutes, or until the pasta is tender and most of the broth has been absorbed. It is important to stir the pasta briefly every two minutes as it simmers, replacing the lid quickly each time to ensure uniform cooking.
Step 5: Finish the Cream Sauce
Once the pasta is tender and most of the broth is absorbed, add the 1 cup of milk, the 3 oz. cream cheese (cut into chunks), and the 1/3 cup of basil pesto. Stir and cook over medium heat until the cream cheese has fully melted into the sauce, making it rich and smooth. Finally, add the 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan and stir until it is combined.
Step 6: Stir in Optional Add-Ins
If using, add the 3 cups of fresh spinach and the 1/4 cup of sliced sun dried tomatoes. Stir only until the spinach has wilted, then immediately remove the pasta from the heat.
Step 7: Serve
Top the pasta with freshly cracked pepper and a pinch of crushed red pepper, then serve immediately.
Notes
Scrape the Bottom: When adding the broth, make sure to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the skillet (the fond). These bits are packed with flavor and are key to a savory sauce.
Use a Deep Skillet: A deep skillet (like a 12-inch cast iron or stainless steel braiser) is necessary to contain the liquid and allow the pasta to simmer without boiling over.
Make-Ahead Prep: You can cut your chicken breast into 1-inch pieces and mince your garlic up to 24 hours in advance and store them in the refrigerator, ready to go when you are!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: One-Pot
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 655
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 650mg
- Fat: 35g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Unsaturated Fat: 22g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 47g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 37g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
Keywords: one-pot pasta, creamy pesto chicken, quick weeknight dinner, penne pasta recipe, easy chicken dinner, basil pesto sauce, minimal cleanup
