One Pan Cheesy Chicken Pesto Pasta Recipe

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Serving Chicken Pesto Pasta

This recipe for Cheesy Chicken Pesto Pasta is a huge hit in our home. Not only because it has pesto in it, but, because it has noodles. I don’t know about you, but my kids could eat their weight in noodles (maybe I need to learn my own pasta). Momma likes this meal because it’s simple, family-friendly, and feels like comfort food.

Does everything need to be made from scratch?

Nope, do what you can! If you have your own chickens in the freezer go for it. If you made your own pesto, awesome. Make your own noodles? Toss those puppies right in. Don’t have anything homemade on hand? No worries, grab that canned chicken, store-bought pesto, and pre-shredded cheese. We are all going to enjoy this meal!

Ingredients:

  • 3-4 Large Chicken Breasts
  • 1 Box of Pasta (12oz)
  • 1 Medium Green Pepper
  • 1 Medium Onion
  • 3 Cloves Garlic
  • 1/2 tsp Powdered Garlic
  • 1/2 tsp Chili Powder
  • 1/8 tsp Turmeric
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1/8 tsp Pepper
  • 1 tsp Lemon Juice
  • 3 1/2 – 4 Cups Chicken Broth
  • 1/4 Cup Greek Yogurt
  • 1/2 Cup Pesto
  • 1/4 Cup Shredded Parmesan
  • 1/2 – 1 Cup Shredded Mozzarella

Instructions:

  1. Thaw chicken is necessary, then season with some salt and pepper
  2. Chop onions, garlic, and peppers
  3. Melt a couple tablespoons fat in pan over medium-high heat
  4. Sear chicken breasts for about 2 minutes on each side, then leave to cook covered for about 5 minutes
  5. Remove chicken from pan and set aside, lower heat to medium-low
  6. Add another tablespoon of fat to pan and sauté onions, peppers, and garlic until soft and fragrant, about 4-5 minutes
  7. While veggies are sauteing, chop chicken into bite-sized pieces
  8. Add chopped chicken back into pan along with garlic powder, chili powder, turmeric, lemon juice, salt, and pepper
  9. Add chicken broth to pan and stir everything together
  10. Turn heat up to medium and bring to a simmer
  11. While pan is heating back up shred cheeses if needed
  12. Once simmering, add pasta, cover and cook until al dente (about 7 minutes), stirring occasionally
  13. Remove lid and add pesto, yogurt, and cheese (reserve some mozzarella for topping)
  14. Mix well (taste and add additional seasoning as needed)
  15. Turn off stove, sprinkle with remaining mozzarella
  16. Place pan in oven to broil for 3-5 minutes until top is a little browned
  17. Serve with favorite salad and/or rolls

Let me show you how to make it!

chopped onion, garlic, pepper with cheese and grater

Chop onions, garlic, and peppers. Melt a couple of tablespoons fat in a pan over medium-high heat.

searing and chopping chicken

Sear chicken breasts for about 2 minutes on each side, then leave to cook covered for about 5 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and set aside, lower heat to medium-low.

Sauteing vegetables

Add another tablespoon of fat to the pan and sauté onions, peppers, and garlic until soft and fragrant, about 4-5 minutes. While veggies are sauteing, chop chicken into bite-sized pieces.

seasoning and broth being added to chicken

Add chopped chicken back into pan along with garlic powder, chili powder, turmeric, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Add chicken broth to pan and stir everything together. Turn heat up to medium and bring to a simmer. While pan is heating back up shred cheeses if needed.

noodles on top of chicken in a pan

Once simmering, add pasta, cover and cook until al dente (about 7 minutes), stirring occasionally.

pesto and yogurt dollops on pasta

Remove lid and add pesto, yogurt, and cheese (reserve some mozzarella for topping). Mix well (give it a taste at this point and add additional seasoning as needed). Turn off the stove, and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella.

Cheese sprinkled on noodles and chicken
Pan of Chicken Pesto Pasta under broiler

Place pan in oven to broil for 3-5 minutes until top is a little browned. Serve with your favorite salad and/or rolls!

One Pan Cheesy Chicken Pesto Pasta Pinterest image

Notes:

IMPORTANT – if you are going to broil the pasta, make sure your pan can go in the oven! Many pans cannot be put into an oven.

I used elbow macaroni in the pictures because that’s what I had on hand, but I usually use rotini style because my family thinks it holds the sauce better.

These are my favorite gluten-free rotini noodles we tend to use most often; the elbow ones are just as tasty. This recipe can be made with gluten-full noodles too, I just prefer these.

Did you know you should let your chopped garlic sit for 10 minutes before cooking? It allows the enzyme alliinase to convert alliin into allicin, which provides super awesome medicinal benefits.

Don’t have chicken breasts? Use 2-3 containers of canned chicken and skip the searing section.

Take a stab at making your own Carrot Top Pesto.

Pan of Chicken Pesto Pasta under broiler

One Pan Cheesy Chicken Pesto Pasta Recipe

Yield: 8 Servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

This recipe for Cheesy Chicken Pesto Pasta is a huge hit in our home. Not only because it has pesto in it, but, because it has noodles.

Ingredients

  • 3-4 Large Chicken Breasts
  • 1 Box of Pasta (12oz)
  • 1 Medium Green Pepper
  • 1 Medium Onion
  • 3 Cloves Garlic
  • 1/2 tsp Powdered Garlic
  • 1/2 tsp Chili Powder
  • 1/8 tsp Turmeric
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1/8 tsp Pepper
  • 1 tsp Lemon Juice
  • 3 1/2 - 4 Cups Chicken Broth
  • 1/4 Cup Greek Yogurt
  • 1/2 Cup Pesto
  • 1/4 Cup Shredded Parmesan
  • 1/2 - 1 Cup Shredded Mozzarella

Instructions

  1. Thaw chicken is necessary, then season with some salt and pepper
  2. Chop onions, garlic, and peppers
  3. Melt a couple tablespoons fat in pan over medium-high heat
  4. Sear chicken breasts for about 2 minutes on each side, then leave to cook covered for about 5 minutes
  5. Remove chicken from pan and set aside, lower heat to medium-low
  6. Add another tablespoon of fat to pan and sauté onions, peppers, and garlic until soft and fragrant, about 4-5 minutes
  7. While veggies are sauteing, chop chicken into bite-sized pieces
  8. Add chopped chicken back into pan along with garlic powder, chili powder, turmeric, lemon juice, salt, and pepper
  9. Add chicken broth to pan and stir everything together
  10. Turn heat up to medium and bring to a simmer
  11. While pan is heating back up shred cheeses if needed
  12. Once simmering, add pasta, cover and cook until al dente (about 7 minutes), stirring occasionally
  13. Remove lid and add pesto, yogurt, and cheese (reserve some mozzarella for topping)
  14. Mix well (taste and add additional seasoning as needed)
  15. Turn off stove, sprinkle with remaining mozzarella
  16. Place pan in oven to broil for 3-5 minutes until top is a little browned
  17. Serve with favorite salad and/or rolls

Notes

IMPORTANT - if you are going to broil the pasta, make sure your pan can go in the oven! Many pans cannot be put into an oven.

I used elbow macaroni in the pictures because that's what I had on hand, but I usually use rotini style because my family thinks it holds the sauce better.

Did you know you should let your chopped garlic sit for 10 minutes before cooking? It allows the enzyme alliinase to convert alliin into allicin, which provides super awesome medicinal benefits.

Nutrition Information
Yield 8 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 258Total Fat 11gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 65mgSodium 2134mgCarbohydrates 12gFiber 1gSugar 4gProtein 27g

*this is not evaluated by the FDA

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