Description
A quick and easy recipe for Perfect Chicken Pesto Pasta with Tomatoes & Mozzarella Pearls, featuring tender chicken, al dente penne, and fresh ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz Penne pasta
- 1 lb Chicken breast
- 1 cup Basil pesto
- 1 cup Mozzarella pearls
- 1 cup Cherry tomatoes
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 2 cloves Garlic
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- Parmesan cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Cook penne in well-salted water until al dente; reserve ½ cup pasta water.
- Season chicken with salt and pepper; sauté in olive oil until golden and cooked through, then slice.
- Add garlic to the pan briefly until fragrant.
- Toss cooked pasta into the pan with chicken.
- Stir in pesto, loosening with reserved pasta water as needed.
- Fold in halved cherry tomatoes and mozzarella pearls just until softened.
- Serve warm with optional Parmesan on top.
Notes
- For a vegetarian option, omit the chicken and add more vegetables.
- Feel free to adjust the amount of pesto to taste.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 80mg