Description
Indulge in a creamy and flavorful one-pan meal with this delicious Creamy Pesto Chicken & Broccoli Pasta recipe. Tender chicken, vibrant broccoli, and pasta come together in a luscious sauce that’s bursting with basil pesto goodness.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Pasta:
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 8 ounces short pasta (penne, rotini, or shells)
- 1/2 cup basil pesto
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Optional: crushed red pepper flakes, fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
- Cook Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet. Brown chicken pieces, then set aside.
- Prepare Sauce: In the same skillet, sauté garlic, add broccoli, chicken broth, cream, and pasta. Simmer until pasta is tender.
- Combine: Return cooked chicken to the pan, stir in pesto and Parmesan. Simmer until creamy.
- Serve: Garnish with red pepper flakes or basil. Enjoy!
Notes
- For a lighter version, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream.
- Frozen broccoli can be used; add in the last 5 minutes of cooking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 540
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 520mg
- Fat: 29g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
