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A cozy and fresh dinner featuring tender chicken breasts seared to golden, tossed in a creamy pesto sauce with sun-dried tomatoes and fresh spinach, served over pasta. Ready in 30 minutes, perfect for busy weeknights.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 oz pasta (any short pasta like penne, rotini, or farfalle; fettuccine also works)
  • 2 chicken breasts, sliced lengthwise into thinner cutlets
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup pesto
  • 1/2 tsp lemon juice (or more to taste)
  • 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
  • 2 cups fresh baby spinach (packed)
  • Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, salting enough to flavor the pasta.
  2. Add pasta and cook until al dente according to package instructions.
  3. Before draining, reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water. Drain and set pasta aside.
  4. Slice each chicken breast lengthwise into two thinner pieces.
  5. Season both sides of chicken with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
  6. Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until sizzling.
  7. Cook chicken in a single layer without crowding for 5-6 minutes per side until golden and cooked through (internal temperature 165°F).
  8. Transfer chicken to a plate, let rest for a few minutes, then slice into bite-sized pieces.
  9. Lower heat to medium; in the same skillet with leftover oil and butter, sprinkle in flour and whisk constantly for about one minute to cook out raw flour taste.
  10. Slowly pour in chicken broth while stirring and scraping up browned bits from the pan.
  11. Add heavy cream, pesto, lemon juice, and sun-dried tomatoes; stir to combine.
  12. Let sauce simmer gently for a few minutes until slightly thickened, keeping heat moderate to avoid boiling vigorously.
  13. Stir in fresh spinach; it will wilt quickly in the warm sauce.
  14. Add drained pasta to skillet and toss to coat with sauce.
  15. If sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.
  16. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
  17. Add sliced chicken on top or fold it into the pasta.
  18. Serve immediately with freshly grated Parmesan cheese if desired.

Notes

Cook pasta to al dente to prevent mushiness when mixed with sauce., Avoid overcrowding chicken in the pan to achieve a good sear rather than steaming., Let the chicken rest after cooking to retain juiciness., Simmer sauce gently to prevent cream separation., Use reserved pasta water to loosen sauce as starch helps sauce cling to pasta., Pesto and Parmesan add saltiness; adjust seasoning carefully., Recipe pairs well with fresh, light sides such as crisp green salad with vinaigrette, steamed or roasted broccoli, garlic bread or warm Italian loaf, roasted asparagus, or cucumber and tomato salad., Can substitute sun-dried tomatoes with fresh cherry or grape tomatoes for brightness., Heavy cream is preferred for sauce texture; using lighter dairy may thin and separate the sauce., Recipe is flexible: consider additions like sautéed mushrooms, red pepper flakes, whole wheat pasta, extra lemon juice, or toasted pine nuts., Leftovers store well refrigerated for 3-4 days; reheat gently with added chicken broth or cream to restore sauce texture; freezing is not recommended due to cream sauce.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cozyovenkitchen.com/simple-creamy-chicken-pesto-pasta-with-spinach/