Let Me Tell You How This Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta Became My Saviour
Picture this: it’s Tuesday (or is it Wednesday?), I’m peering into the fridge, and all I see is a sad reminder that grocery delivery is not magic. That’s usually when I whip out this simple creamy chicken pesto pasta with spinach. Honestly, it’s the dish that keeps me from just resorting to toast (again). One time I tried making this while keeping a toddler and a dog away from hot pans—spoiler alert: one of them got into the parmesan. But we all survived, and dinner was actually delicious. There’s something about the sauce clinging to every twist of pasta that makes all the chaos worth it.
Why You’ll Love This (Or At Least Not Hate Making It)
I make this when I want dinner sorted fast, but I still want to feel like an adult eating actual vegetables. My family goes a bit bonkers for anything smothered in pesto sauce (even my husband, who claims to hate spinach, goes back for seconds—hmm). There’s no endless stirring or fussy steps; just real ingredients and real flavor. Plus, if you’re the type who dreads scrubbing cookware (me, waving frantically), you’ll like that it all pretty much happens in one pan. Oh, and I’ve definitely forgotten to defrost the chicken before—turns out, it works fine with those pre-cooked chicken strips, too.
This Is What You’ll Need (With Some Cheeky Swaps)
- 2 chicken breasts, thinly sliced (I’ve used leftover roast chicken, or just some from a box, no judgment)
- 250g pasta (penne’s my go-to but spaghetti or fusilli also work; my gran swears by penne rigate but honestly any pasta gets the job done)
- 2 heaping tablespoons basil pesto (homemade if you’re feeling it, or the jar—no one’s checking!)
- 120ml double cream (sometimes I use single cream, or even half-and-half if that’s what’s left in the fridge)
- 1 big handful of fresh baby spinach (about 2 cups packed—frozen spinach in a pinch but squeeze it well)
- 2-3 garlic cloves, minced (or from the jar; my best friend uses garlic powder… sorry Claire but it’s true)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (I’ve swapped in butter once or twice… kind of lovely actually)
- Freshly grated parmesan, to serve (or you know, the stuff in the green can—it’s secretly good)
- Salt and pepper, to taste (I’ve definitely oversalted before; start light then taste!)
How to Whip This Up—My Real Steps
- Bring a big pot of salted water to the boil for your pasta. Drop in the pasta and cook it until just shy of al dente (check the packet, but I always taste a noodle or two early—call it chef’s privilege).
- Meanwhile, in a large frying pan or deep skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Toss in the chicken slices, season with salt and pepper, and cook until they’re just golden—about 5-7 minutes. If yours are still a bit pink, give them a little longer. No dry chicken allowed.
- Toss in the minced garlic. Let it sizzle for maybe a minute until it smells fantastic. Don’t let it burn though—burnt garlic is so sad.
- Reduce the heat a bit. Pour the cream right into the pan with the chicken. Stir it in and let it get all warm and cozy (this is the precise technical term). It’ll look a bit thin at first, don’t worry—once the pasta goes in, it thickens up.
- Stir in the pesto until you get that super green, herby sauce. Sometimes it’s not perfectly smooth—honestly, pesto always looks a bit rustic to me.
- Drain your pasta but save a splash of the pasta water (about a 1/4 cup). Toss the drained pasta right into the pan with the sauce. Add your spinach and that starchy pasta water. Toss everything until the spinach wilts and the sauce clings to every noodle. If it looks a bit dry, add a dash more cream or water (I never measure here—just go by eye).
- Serve immediately with a lot of parmesan and black pepper on top. This is where I always end up eating my first bite standing over the stove. Just me?
Notes I Learned the Fun Way
- If your spinach is looking a bit limp, don’t stress—once it’s in the pasta, nobody notices.
- Once, I ran out of cream and subbed in a mix of Greek yogurt and milk; not bad, but a little tangier than usual. (Not my best, not my worst.)
- You can make this totally veggie by skipping the chicken and doubling up on spinach, mushrooms, or even frozen peas (which I weirdly love, don’t ask).
Things I’ve Tried (Not All of Them Winners)
- I once threw in sun-dried tomatoes; actually, they were fantastic—highly recommend if you have some languishing in the jar.
- Did I once think I could throw in blue cheese? Yes. Was it good? Not at all—stick with parmesan. Trust me.
- For heat, a pinch of chili flakes makes it less kid-friendly but way more exciting for spice lovers.
Stuff You’ll Probably Need (But No Worries If Not)
- A big saucepan for pasta (I once used a frying pan, didn’t love that life, but it worked!)
- A decent skillet or frying pan
- A sharp knife for the chicken—unless using pre-cooked stuff, in which case skip it and win at life
- A wooden spoon or spatula (or, like me once, a silicone spatula with a suspicious crack… it’s fine)
How to Store (But Honestly, It’s Always Gone)
If you manage to have leftovers, pop them in an airtight box in the fridge. They’ll keep for about 2 days, but my honest truth: I don’t think this has ever lasted past breakfast the next day in our house. The sauce thickens up, so just splash in a bit of water when reheating to bring it back from the land of gluey pasta.
How I Like to Serve It (And What My Family Does)
I love this with just a heap of extra parmesan on top and maybe a wedge of lemon squeezed over (call me fancy). My brother dumps hot sauce on his, which feels like blasphemy but—live and let live.
Lessons Learned the Slightly Hard Way
- I once tried to skip the step of tossing the pasta with the sauce in the pan; don’t. You just end up chasing slippery sauce around your plate. Mix it before serving, trust me!
- Resist the urge to crank the heat while adding cream (I tried it, it split, looked like a science experiment, and tasted…weirdly fine, but looked grim).
- Don’t wander off to scroll your phone—the garlic will burn and then you’re stuck starting over (voice of experience here, sigh).
Real Life FAQs (Yes, I’ve Really Been Asked These)
- Can I use store-bought pesto?
- Absolutely. I actually prefer the stuff in the chiller section. But honestly, jarred saves the day many nights. No shame.
- What pasta works best?
- Penne, fusilli, spaghetti—honestly, whatever is lurking in your cupboard. I even made it with tortellini once! That was, hmm, a bit much… but it worked.
- How do I make it gluten-free?
- Just use your fave gluten-free pasta—it soaks up the sauce a bit faster, so keep some extra cream or water handy. The rest of the ingredients should be fine.
- Is there a dairy-free version?
- I hear you, lactose-haters—I used a vegan cream and almond milk pesto version for a friend and it was actually pretty tasty. Just double-check your pesto label (cheese sneaks in there sometimes).
- Help! My sauce is runny.
- Let it simmer just a bit with the pasta tossed in; usually thickens up. Or…eat it soupy and call it “pasta soup”—been there, done that.
Oh, and one last thing—if you ever drop parmesan all over the kitchen floor while grating (not that I’d know), just call it seasoning. It’s rustic!
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts, thinly sliced (I’ve used leftover roast chicken, or just some from a box, no judgment)
- 250g pasta (penne’s my go-to but spaghetti or fusilli also work; my gran swears by penne rigate but honestly any pasta gets the job done)
- 2 heaping tablespoons basil pesto (homemade if you’re feeling it, or the jar—no one’s checking!)
- 120ml double cream (sometimes I use single cream, or even half-and-half if that’s what’s left in the fridge)
- 1 big handful of fresh baby spinach (about 2 cups packed—frozen spinach in a pinch but squeeze it well)
- 2-3 garlic cloves, minced (or from the jar; my best friend uses garlic powder… sorry Claire but it’s true)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (I’ve swapped in butter once or twice… kind of lovely actually)
- Freshly grated parmesan, to serve (or you know, the stuff in the green can—it’s secretly good)
- Salt and pepper, to taste (I’ve definitely oversalted before; start light then taste!)
Instructions
-
1Bring a big pot of salted water to the boil for your pasta. Drop in the pasta and cook it until just shy of al dente (check the packet, but I always taste a noodle or two early—call it chef’s privilege).
-
2Meanwhile, in a large frying pan or deep skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Toss in the chicken slices, season with salt and pepper, and cook until they’re just golden—about 5-7 minutes. If yours are still a bit pink, give them a little longer. No dry chicken allowed.
-
3Toss in the minced garlic. Let it sizzle for maybe a minute until it smells fantastic. Don’t let it burn though—burnt garlic is so sad.
-
4Reduce the heat a bit. Pour the cream right into the pan with the chicken. Stir it in and let it get all warm and cozy (this is the precise technical term). It’ll look a bit thin at first, don’t worry—once the pasta goes in, it thickens up.
-
5Stir in the pesto until you get that super green, herby sauce. Sometimes it’s not perfectly smooth—honestly, pesto always looks a bit rustic to me.
-
6Drain your pasta but save a splash of the pasta water (about a 1/4 cup). Toss the drained pasta right into the pan with the sauce. Add your spinach and that starchy pasta water. Toss everything until the spinach wilts and the sauce clings to every noodle. If it looks a bit dry, add a dash more cream or water (I never measure here—just go by eye).
-
7Serve immediately with a lot of parmesan and black pepper on top. This is where I always end up eating my first bite standing over the stove. Just me?
CLICK FOR NUTRITION INFO
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Approximate Information for One Serving
Serving Size:
1 serving
Calories:
590 caloriescal
Protein:
34gg
Fat:
27gg
Saturated Fat:
0g
Trans Fat:
0g
Cholesterol:
0mg
Sodium:
0mg
Potassium:
0mg
Total Carbs:
57gg
Fiber:
0g
Sugar:
0g
Net Carbs:
0g
Vitamin A:
0
Vitamin C:
0mg
Calcium:
0mg
Iron:
0mg
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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