Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta
Course: Chicken Recipes, Main Food Recipes, Pasta RecipesServings
4
servingsPrep time
30
minutesCooking time
40
minutesCalories
300
kcal
Ingredients
500 g chicken breast
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic
500 g penne pasta
1.5 chicken broth
1 cup milk
100 g cream cheese natural (Philadelphia)
1/3 cup basil pesto
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
Freshly ground pepper
1 pinch of dried chili flakes
3 cups fresh spinach
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
Directions
- Cut the chicken breast into 2 cm pieces. Add the butter to a deep pan and melt over medium heat. Put the chicken in the pan and cook on medium heat until the chicken is browned.
- While the chicken is cooking, finely chop the garlic. Add the garlic to the pan with the chicken and let it simmer for another minute.
- Add the uncooked pasta, chicken broth and chili flakes to the casserole with the chicken and garlic. Stir to dissolve any pieces from the bottom of the pan. Put the lid on the pan, turn up the heat to medium-high heat and bring the broth to a boil.
- When the broth has boiled, stir in the pasta quickly, put on the lid and turn down the heat to medium heat. Let the pasta simmer on medium-low heat for about 8 minutes, or until the pasta is tender and most of the broth has been absorbed. Quickly stir in the pasta every two minutes while it simmers, and put on the lid quickly each time.
- When the pasta is tender and most of the broth has been absorbed, add milk, cream cheese and pesto. Stir and cook over medium heat until the cream cheese has melted completely into the sauce. Finally add grated parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes and spinach and stir until blended. When the spinach has “sunk”, remove the pan from the heat. Top with freshly ground pepper and serve with freshly baked bread.