Guest post by Joanne Schweitzer, the creator of No Plate Like Home.
Hi! I’m Joanne. I’m a SAHM of two cute little boys, who melt my heart. I need my coffee to start my day (with them.) Lol! I’m sure I don’t have to explain that to you though because you’re probably busy and tired too!
I love to cook, bake and come up with easy and creative recipes to share with my readers.
No fancy ingredients. Just simple homemade goodness.
I really believe in cooking quality, wholesome meals for my family because it’s healthier and much cheaper than take out and buying prepackaged foods. Plus, it tastes so much better too. I want the same for your family! That’s why I started No Plate Like Home.
Now, onto this easy, Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta Recipe …
This tasty Chicken Pasta in Pesto Cream Sauce has sundried tomatoes and toasted pine nuts!
Doesn’t that sound amazing?
It’s really delicious!
You can make this hearty dish in only 20 minutes, making it a great weeknight meal option.
If you don’t already have cooked chicken, just boil one chicken breast while the pasta is boiling and then shred it with a fork. The creamy pesto sauce only takes minutes to make.
This recipe is a spin off of a popular appetizer on my blog- Puff Pastry Pesto Chicken Bites Appetizer. They’re easy-to-make and equally delicious. They’re a hit at parties!
How to Make Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of shredded cooked chicken or 1 skinless, boneless chicken breast
- ½ lb of Rigatoni pasta
- 8 oz heavy cream
- 2 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp pesto sauce (red, basil etc)
- 3 tbsp pine nuts
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese
- 1/8 tsp garlic powder
- ½ cup sun dried tomatoes in olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Step 1: Cook pasta according to package directions.
Step 2: Meanwhile, with a paper towel, drain and pat the sun-dried tomatoes. Chop them.
Step 3: Toast the pine nuts.
Add some pine nuts to a small frying pan on med/low heat. Don’t leave the nuts while they’re browning.
Stir them after about one minute. When they start to get brown, they’re toasted (about 3 min.)
Step 4: Make the pesto cream sauce.
In a medium saucepan, add heavy cream, butter, grated Parmesan cheese.
Stir it until the butter melts and the cream thickens a bit.
Add pesto, toasted pine nuts, chopped sun dried tomatoes, garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste.
Step 5: Last, add the creamy pesto sauce and cooked shredded chicken to the cooked and drained pasta.
Makes 3-4 servings. 20 min to make!
Bon appétit!
Chicken Pasta in Pesto Cream Sauce is a hearty pasta dish with added protein. Using chicken in this way stretches your dollars spent on meat and the pasta will fill your family’s bellies. This is important in our household because our five-year old boy eats more than me! Therefore, I have tips that can help you to save money on buying meat and produce on my blog.
Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 cups of shredded cooked chicken or 1 skinless, boneless chicken breast
- ½ lb of Rigatoni pasta
- 8 oz heavy cream
- 2 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp pesto sauce
- 3 tbsp pine nuts
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese
- 1/8 tsp garlic powder
- ½ cup sun dried tomatoes in olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, with a paper towel, drain and pat the sun-dried tomatoes. Chop them.
- Next, add pine nuts to a small frying pan on med/high heat. Watch them closely so they don’t burn. Let them toast for about three minutes stirring every minute or so. When they start browning, they’re done. Set aside.
- Next, in a large saucepan on med/high heat, add heavy cream, grated Parmesan cheese and butter. Stir for a minute or two or until it thickens a bit. Add pesto sauce, sun-dried tomatoes and toasted pine nuts.
- Then, add the shredded cooked chicken, garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste to the cream sauce. Stir in the cooked and drained pasta.
Joanne provides easy-to-make recipes for meals that you’ll be proud to serve your family. She’s a self-taught cook since the tragic passing of her mom when she was only 19. She believes in good, quality food that’s easy-to-prepare thereby, saving you money on buying takeout and unhealthy prepackaged foods. You’ll find more than just yummy recipes on her site though; she has inexpensive DIY crafts, travel posts, and money saving tips too! Some of her recipes have been featured on Good Housekeeping and Country Living! Check out her blog at No Plate Like Home!
