10-Minute Chicken and Basil Pesto Pasta Dinner
Serves 4
10 mins prep
10 mins cook
20 mins total
This is an extremely quick and simple to cook with ingredients straight from your pantry. It's an Italian-style chicken pasta dinner that combines tender chunks of chicken breast with a silky pesto sauce and plenty of grated Parmesan. With only 10 minutes of cooking time, this dish is an absolute winner for busy nights!
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Bring large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water generously (about 1 tablespoon kosher salt or 2 teaspoons table salt per quart). Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Reserve about ½ cup of the cooking water before draining the pasta.
While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook until it’s cooked through no longer pink, 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the garlic and red pepper to the pan, cooking just until the garlic smells good, about 30 seconds. Stir in the pesto and ¼ cup of the pasta water.
Adjust the heat to low and add the cooked pasta and cheese to the pan, stirring to combine. If the sauce looks too thick, drizzle in a bit more pasta water to reach your desired consistency.
Transfer the pasta to a serving bowl. Serve hot, with the nuts sprinkled over, and additional grated cheese alongside.
