This Chicken Pesto Pasta recipe is the perfect quick and easy midweek meal. Simply stir green pesto and cream cheese through chicken, spinach and pasta to create a family favourite dish.
Ingredients
- 400g dried pasta (e.g fusilli or penne)
- 2 large chicken breasts (approx 500g)
- 3 tbsp pine nuts
- 1 large banana shallot (or small brown onion)
- 1 large garlic clove
- 100g closed cup mushrooms
- 150g baby leaf spinach
- 5 generous tbsp green pesto
- 150g cream cheese
- olive oil
- salt & pepper
Directions
- Cook the pasta according to instructions. Once cooked, drain and set aside.
- In the meantime: cut the chicken breasts into thin strips, finely dice the shallot, slice the mushrooms, and crush the garlic.
- Place a large deep frying pan over a medium heat. Tip in the pine nuts, fry to toast them slightly. Keep a close eye on them so they don't burn!
- Transfer the toasted pine nuts to a small bowl, then return the pan to the heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkling of salt and the diced shallot. Saute for 3-4 minutes to soften the shallot a little.
- Add the chicken slices. Fry for 5 minutes to seal and brown the chicken slightly.
- Tip in the sliced mushrooms and crushed garlic, continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes.
- Cover the contents of the pan with the spinach, sprinkle generously with salt, then mix the spinach through the rest of the ingredients to wilt it.
- Add the cooked, drained pasta to the pan along with the pesto. Give everything a really good stir to incorporate the ingredients.
- Mix through the cream cheese and the toasted pine nuts.
- Remove from the heat.
- Season the Chicken Pesto Pasta with a generous amount of black pepper and extra salt to taste.
- Serve immediately.
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