Categories 30 Minutes or Less, Chicken Recipes, Dinner Recipes

One Pot Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta

by Annmarie

This One Pot Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta is the easy, comforting dinner you’ve been craving—without the need for any fancy ingredients or complicated steps! Inspired by those little powdered pasta sauce packets you see at the store (you know the ones), this homemade version is way better—and just as fast to make.

Ready in about 25 minutes, this creamy pesto pasta is rich, luscious, and packed with flavor. It starts as a simple pasta-and-sauce dish, but if you like to get creative (like I do), you can toss in extras like spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, or even leftover veggies.

Whether you keep it minimal with just pasta and sauce or load it up with chicken and greens, this one-pot meal is a total weeknight win—no boxed mixes needed. Plus, it’s perfect for those nights when you want something satisfying but still quick and easy!

One Pot Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta

One Pot Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta

One Pot Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta

This One Pot Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta is the easy, comforting dinner you’ve been craving—without the need for any fancy ingredients or complicated steps! Inspired by those little powdered pasta sauce packets you see at the store (you know the ones), this homemade version is way better—and just as fast to make.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast
  • 2 Tbsp butter
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 lb. penne pasta
  • 1.5 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup milk
  • 3 oz. cream cheese*
  • 1/3 cup basil pesto
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
  • freshly cracked pepper
  • 1 pinch crushed red pepper

Optional Add-Ins:

  • 3 cup fresh spinach
  • 1/4 cup sliced sun dried tomatoes

Instructions

  1. Cut the chicken breast into 1-inch pieces. Add the butter to a deep skillet and melt over medium heat. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook over medium heat until the chicken is slightly browned on the outside.
  2. While the chicken is cooking, mince the garlic. Add the garlic to the skillet with the chicken and continue to sauté for one minute more.
  3. Add the uncooked pasta and chicken broth to the skillet with the chicken and garlic. Stir to dissolve any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Place a lid on the skillet, turn the heat up to medium-high, and bring the broth up to a boil.
  4. Once the broth comes to a full boil, give the pasta a quick stir, replace the lid, and turn the heat down to medium-low. Let the pasta simmer over medium-low heat for about 8 minutes, or until the pasta is tender and most of the broth has been absorbed. Stir the pasta briefly every two minutes as it simmers, replacing the lid quickly each time.
  5. Once the pasta is tender and most of the broth absorbed, add the milk, cream cheese (cut into chunks), and pesto. Stir and cook over medium heat until the cream cheese has fully melted into the sauce. Finally, add the grated Parmesan and stir until combined.
  6. If using, add the fresh spinach and sliced sun dried tomatoes. Stir until the spinach has wilted, then remove the pasta from the heat. Top the pasta with freshly cracked pepper and a pinch of crushed red pepper, then serve.

Notes

*Cream cheese usually has markings on the outer wrapping showing lines for each ounce. Use this as a guide to cut three ounces from the block.

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