One Pot Chicken Pesto Pasta is tender chunks of chicken tossed with pasta, homemade pesto sauce and veggies. It's an easy dinner that's on the table in 30 minutes!
Season the chicken breast(s) on both sides and chop into 1" pieces.
1.5 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally and lightly browned and cooked through, about 5-6 minutes. Transfer chicken to a bowl and set aside.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the now empty pan and add the mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and sauté until the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms have softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds longer.
Add the pasta and water and stir well. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until the pasta is tender and has absorbed most of the water. The pasta will release it's starches when it's close to being done...it will begin to stick together and the liquid will thicken.
8 ounces fusilli pasta, 3.5 cups water
Add the chicken back to the pan along with the pesto sauce and tomatoes and stir well, cooking until just heated through.
1/2 cup basil pesto sauce, 1 cup roasted cherry tomatoes
Remove from heat and top with the grated parmesan. Serve topped with toasted walnuts if desired and enjoy!
salt and pepper, 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, 1/3 cup toasted walnut pieces
Notes
Pro tip: If using homemade pesto sauce, I recommend making it up to a few days in advance to make this a 30 minute meal. It will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week or the freezer for up to 3 months.
The roasted cherry tomatoes add a ton of flavor, but they may be substituted with fresh cherry tomatoes or half the amount of sun dried tomatoes.
Make this recipe vegetarian by omitting the chicken and adding white beans.
Leftover chicken pesto pasta will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.