Pesto chicken pasta is the perfect choice for an easy weeknight dinner.

It’s that time of year again when kids go back to school, and after-school activities require adjusting to a new schedule. Planning meals, grocery shopping, and getting something on the table becomes more challenging during the busy school season. Having an arsenal of tried-and-true, easy, and satisfying recipes will not only save you time but also help preserve your sanity.

This Pesto Chicken Pasta is a family favorite and comes together with just a few ingredients, taking about 20 minutes to prepare. Bright and cheesy basil pesto is the star of the show and truly is the biggest flavor hack for quick cooking. The basil pesto coats the pasta and acts as the perfect marinade for the chicken. Finish it off with fresh cherry tomatoes for a sweet and juicy burst, and grate some salty, nutty Parmesan or Romano cheese on top. It’s an incredibly simple and flavorful meal that requires little effort, and, better yet, your kids will love it (as long as they aren’t wary of anything green). 

Pesto chicken pasta

By Calista Boskus

Serves: 4 | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 20-22 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 ½  lbs chicken tenders or breasts that are halved lengthwise

• ⅓ -½ cup basil pesto for chicken

• Garlic salt

• Pepper

• 1 lb pasta of choice, such as penne, rigatoni or stuffed pastas like tortellini or ravioli

• ¼ -⅓ cup basil pesto for pasta

• 1 pint Cherry tomatoes, halved

• Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano, for serving

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Trim the chicken tenders or chicken breast halves and place in a baking dish, and season with garlic salt and pepper. 

2. Add the pesto to the chicken and coat the chicken evenly. Spread out the chicken evenly in the baking dish and bake for 20-22 minutes.

   1. Grilling instructions: Preheat grill to medium-high. Add the chicken, close the lid, and grill for 3 minutes. Flip the chicken and grill for another 3 minutes. Remove from the grill and set aside. The same can be done in a pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat. 

3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. 

4. Once boiling, season the water with salt and carefully add in your pasta of choice.  Boil the pasta for the amount of time according to package instructions. 

5. Meanwhile, halve the cherry tomatoes and season them with salt. Set aside. 

6. Once the pasta is finished cooking, reserve about ½ cup of pasta water and drain. 

7. To the pasta, start by adding about ¼ cup pesto, stir, and use the reserved pasta water as necessary to thin the pesto (you may not even need the pasta water depending on the consistency of your pesto), coat the pasta, and make a sauce. Add more pesto if needed. 

8. To serve, plate the pasta and chicken served on top. Garnish with cherry tomatoes and a sprinkle of Parmigiano or Romano cheese. Dive in! 

Notes and variations:

Pesto chicken pasta is just one way to add flavor to your hectic school nights.

Want to spice things up? Try these tips.

• Pestos will vary in thickness and depth of flavor, so taste and adjust according to your preference. 

• This works with any type of pasta you prefer. Dried, fresh, or cheese-filled pastas like tortellini and ravioli. Just follow instructions according to the type of pasta and brand you’re cooking with. 

• Ideas for toppings and mix-ins: sun-dried tomatoes, sautéed mushrooms, asparagus, zucchini, spinach, artichoke hearts, burrata or fresh mozzarella, prosciutto, pepperoni, bacon, olives.