This creamy chicken pesto pasta is a winning family dinner. Tender bites of chicken are mixed with your favorite pasta and smothered in an easy-to-make creamy pesto sauce. It’s a 25-minute dinner recipe you don’t want to miss!
Calling all pesto fans — I have a recipe you’re going to love. This dish brings together my all-time favorite creamy pesto sauce with tender, seasoned chicken, perfectly cooked pasta, a handful of cherry tomatoes, and a little spinach for color. It’s the kind of meal that feels special but comes together easily, and every bite is bright, cozy, and so satisfying.
In the photos, I used gluten-free penne, but truly, any pasta shape works here. I like choosing noodles with lots of nooks and grooves so the sauce can cling to every inch. Shells, rotini, fusilli, and even tortellini are all great options — just use whatever you have on hand.
This is one of those recipes I return to again and again because it’s reliable, flavorful, and always a hit at my table. If you’re craving a bowl of creamy, pesto-coated comfort, this is absolutely the one to make.
Can I use store-bought pesto instead? Technically, yes — you can use store-bought pesto — but it will change the recipe quite a bit. My pesto sauce is rich, creamy, and blends beautifully with the chicken and pasta. Jarred pesto tends to be oilier and much stronger in flavor, so the final dish won’t have the same creamy texture or balance.
Is this a creamy chicken pesto pasta? Yes! It’s wonderfully creamy, but there’s no actual cream in the recipe. The blender pesto sauce gets its silky texture from the ingredients themselves, which makes the whole dish feel lush without being heavy.
How long does chicken pesto pasta last? This pasta keeps well for 3–4 days in the fridge. When you reheat it, add a splash of water to loosen the sauce — it brings everything back to life.
Can I freeze chicken pesto pasta? Yes, absolutely. Since there’s no dairy-based cream in this sauce, it freezes beautifully. Transfer any leftovers to a freezer-safe container (I love using large reusable Stasher Bags ) and freeze for up to 3 months.
Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta Recipe
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Ingredients
Creamy Pesto Sauce
- ▢ 1 cup fresh basil (packed)
- ▢ ¼ cup fresh parsley (packed)
- ▢ ½ cup grated parmesan
- ▢ ¼ cup toasted cashews
- ▢ 2 cloves garlic
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ▢ Juice from ½ lemon
- ▢ ¼ cup olive oil
- ▢ ¼ cup water
Chicken and Pasta
- ▢ 8 ounces pasta (penne is pictured)
- ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ▢ 2 chicken breasts (cut into bite-sized pieces)
- ▢ 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ▢ ½ teaspoon EACH: sea salt and pepper
- ▢ 2 ounces baby spinach leaves
- ▢ 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
Instructions
- Begin by making the pesto sauce. Put all of the ingredients into your blender and blend on high until smooth. 1 cup fresh basil, ¼ cup fresh parsley, ½ cup grated parmesan, ¼ cup toasted cashews, 2 cloves garlic, ¼ teaspoon sea salt, Juice from ½ lemon, ¼ cup olive oil, ¼ cup water
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions. Drain the water then return the pasta to the pot and toss with a little olive oil. 8 ounces pasta
- While the pasta water is warming, add the oil to a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook until the chicken is cooked through, stirring a few times, about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 chicken breasts, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon EACH: sea salt and pepper
- Add the cooked pasta, spinach, and tomatoes to the pan with the chicken. Pour the pesto sauce over top and mix everything together. Serve right away. 2 ounces baby spinach leaves, 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
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Nutrition
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Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
Creamy Pesto Sauce
- 1 cup fresh basil , packed
- ¼ cup fresh parsley , packed
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- ¼ cup toasted cashews
- 2 cloves garlic
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- Juice from ½ lemon
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup water
Chicken and Pasta
- 8 ounces pasta , penne is pictured
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 chicken breasts , cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon EACH: sea salt and pepper
- 2 ounces baby spinach leaves
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
Instructions
- Begin by making the pesto sauce. Put all of the ingredients into your blender and blend on high until smooth. 1 cup fresh basil, ¼ cup fresh parsley, ½ cup grated parmesan, ¼ cup toasted cashews, 2 cloves garlic, ¼ teaspoon sea salt, Juice from ½ lemon, ¼ cup olive oil, ¼ cup water
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions. Drain the water then return the pasta to the pot and toss with a little olive oil. 8 ounces pasta
- While the pasta water is warming, add the oil to a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook until the chicken is cooked through, stirring a few times, about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 chicken breasts, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon EACH: sea salt and pepper
- Add the cooked pasta, spinach, and tomatoes to the pan with the chicken. Pour the pesto sauce over top and mix everything together. Serve right away. 2 ounces baby spinach leaves, 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
