Creamy Hen Pesto Pasta is a straightforward one-pan dinner that mixes tender seasoned rooster, recent broccoli and spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes in a wealthy three-cheese pesto cream sauce. Excellent for busy weeknights while you need restaurant-quality consolation meals that the entire household will love!
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Creamy Hen Pesto Pasta is one in every of my go-to dishes once I need one thing hearty and scrumptious. It has tender rooster, recent greens, and a creamy pesto sauce that makes the whole lot style wonderful. This recipe is ideal for busy nights while you need good meals with out an excessive amount of work, and the whole lot cooks in a single pan.

What’s Creamy Hen Pesto Pasta?
That is pure consolation meals for me and my household. It’s rooster items, rigatoni pasta, broccoli, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes all combined collectively in a creamy pesto sauce. What makes this dish particular is utilizing three totally different cheeses — ricotta makes it clean, mozzarella offers you that good soften, and Parmesan provides nice taste. I’ve been making this for years, ever since my youngest began consuming “actual meals,” and it’s grow to be one in every of our Sunday dinner favorites.
Components for Creamy Hen Pesto Pasta
- Hen breasts — I reduce these into small items in order that they prepare dinner evenly and the youngsters can eat them simply
- Rigatoni pasta — the tube form holds the sauce rather well, and my youngsters love “pasta tubes”
- Carnation On a regular basis Creamer — this makes the sauce tremendous clean and is at all times in my fridge
- Recent broccoli — I prepare dinner it first to maintain it shiny inexperienced, which helps get the youngsters to eat their greens
- Child spinach — cooks shortly and provides good shade
- Solar-dried tomatoes — these add plenty of taste
- Basil pesto — that is what makes the dish style so good. I often purchase the great things from the shop
- Ricotta cheese — makes the sauce creamy with out being too heavy
- Mozzarella cheese — melts completely and the youngsters love the stretchy cheese
- Parmesan cheese — provides that tacky taste all of us love
- Recent garlic — I take advantage of heaps as a result of my household loves garlic in the whole lot
- Hen broth — helps make the sauce the suitable thickness
- Olive oil and butter — for cooking the whole lot
- Seasonings — garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper


The way to Make Creamy Hen Pesto Pasta
- Prepare dinner the broccoli
I begin by cooking the broccoli in boiling salted water for about 1½ minutes. This retains it good and inexperienced, and the youngsters received’t complain that it’s too mushy. - Prepare dinner the pasta
I take advantage of the identical water for the pasta — much less dishes to scrub! I at all times save a cup of the pasta water earlier than I drain it. My mother taught me this trick years in the past. - Prepare dinner the rooster
I season the rooster with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Then I prepare dinner it in olive oil till it’s golden brown. Be sure that to not crowd the pan, or it received’t get that good golden shade. - Make the sauce base
In the identical pan, I soften butter with olive oil, then add garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. That is when everybody in the home is aware of dinner is sort of prepared as a result of it smells wonderful. - Add pesto and broth
I combine within the rooster broth and pesto till it’s all clean. Generally I let the youngsters assist with this half. - Make it creamy
I add the creamer, ricotta, and Parmesan. Stir all of it collectively and watch it grow to be this stunning creamy sauce that makes everybody completely happy. - Add greens
Put the broccoli again in and add the spinach. The spinach cooks actually quick, which is ideal as a result of I’m often dashing to get dinner on the desk. - Put all of it collectively
Add the rooster and pasta again to the pan and blend the whole lot collectively. If it’s too thick, add a few of that pasta water you saved. This at all times jogs my memory why my mother’s methods work so properly. - End it off
Add the mozzarella and blend till it melts. The youngsters at all times get excited after they see the cheese melting!
Helpful Ideas
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- Save that pasta water — my mother taught me this and it actually works
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- Lower the rooster items the identical measurement in order that they prepare dinner evenly
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- Good pesto makes a giant distinction. I discovered this the laborious means with low cost pesto
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- Don’t prepare dinner the spinach too lengthy or it will get mushy and the youngsters discover
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- Style it earlier than including extra salt since Parmesan is already salty
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- In case you’re making this forward for meal prep, don’t prepare dinner the pasta all the way in which


How I Prefer to Serve This
I often make some garlic bread as a result of my household devours it, and a easy salad to make myself really feel higher about all of the cheese we’re consuming. Generally I’ll have a glass of white wine after the youngsters are in mattress. This pasta is filling sufficient that even my teenage son says he’s full, which is saying one thing!
Why This Recipe Works So Nicely
I like how the whole lot comes collectively completely, and extra importantly, my entire household loves it. The rooster stays tender, the greens hold their shade, and that sauce is simply wonderful. Utilizing one pan means much less cleanup, which is at all times a win in my ebook. My spouse at all times says this tastes like restaurant meals, which makes me really feel fairly good about my cooking.
What Goes Nicely With This
Garlic Bread — my household’s favourite, good for getting each little bit of that sauce
Inexperienced Bean Salad — helps me really feel much less responsible about all of the cheese
Roasted Broccoli — if you’d like extra veggies on the facet
Caesar Salad — my spouse’s selection once we wish to make it really feel fancy


Widespread Questions
Can I take advantage of totally different pasta?
Certain! Penne or shells work nice too. My youngsters desire the tube shapes as a result of they’re enjoyable to eat.
What if I don’t have that creamer?
Heavy cream or half-and-half work simply tremendous. I’ve used each once I ran out of creamer.
Can I make this with out rooster?
Sure! Simply use vegetable broth as an alternative.
How lengthy do leftovers final?
About 3 days within the fridge. My youngsters really like consuming the leftovers chilly.
Watch The way to Prepare dinner Creamy Hen Pesto Pasta
This recipe has grow to be such a household favourite that I make it at the very least twice a month. There’s one thing particular a couple of dish that makes everybody on the desk completely happy, from my choosy eater to my teenage son who’s at all times hungry. Give it a attempt — I believe your loved ones will like it as a lot as mine does!
Did you make this? In case you snap a photograph, please make certain tag us on Instagram at @panlasangpinoy or hashtag #panlasangpinoy so we are able to see your creations!


Creamy Hen Pesto Pasta
Tender rooster and rigatoni pasta tossed in a creamy basil pesto sauce with broccoli, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes. Topped with ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses
Gear
Giant pot For boiling pasta and blanching broccoli
Giant skillet For cooking rooster and making sauce
Slotted spoon For eradicating broccoli from boiling water
Measuring cups and spoons For correct ingredient measurements
Whisk For combining pesto and broth
Directions
Convey water to a boil. Add 1 ½ teaspoons of salt. Add broccoli florets and blanch for 1 ½ minutes. Take away with a slotted spoon and put aside.
1.5 cups broccoli florets, 1.5 quarts water, salt and pepper
Add pasta to the identical boiling water and prepare dinner in keeping with bundle directions till al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain and put aside.
1 lb rigatoni pasta
Season rooster with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Warmth 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a big skillet over medium-high warmth. Add rooster and prepare dinner for five minutes, stirring sometimes, till golden brown and cooked via. Take away from skillet and put aside.
1.5 lbs boneless, skinless rooster breasts, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 5 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper
In the identical skillet, scale back warmth to medium and soften the butter and add remaining olive oil. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds till aromatic. Add the sun-dried tomato, sauté for 30 seconds.
3 tablespoons butter, 5 tablespoons olive oil, 6 cloves garlic, 0.5 cup solar dried tomato
Pour rooster broth and whisk in pesto till properly mixed.
0.5 cup rooster broth, 0.5 cup basil pesto
Stir in Carnation On a regular basis Creamer and add ricotta and parmesan cheeses, and stir till melted and clean.
400 ml Carnation On a regular basis Creamer, 0.5 cup ricotta cheese, 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese
Return the broccoli and add spinach.
1.5 cups broccoli florets, 1 cup spinach
Add the rooster and pasta. Toss till coated evenly with the sauce. If sauce is simply too thick, add reserved pasta water a little bit at a time till the specified consistency is reached.
1.5 lbs boneless, skinless rooster breasts, 1 lb rigatoni pasta
Add mozzarella cheese and extra parmesan as wanted. Toss.
0.5 cup mozzarella cheese, 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese
Switch to a serving bowl. Serve sizzling. Share and luxuriate in!
Notes
- Make-ahead tip: The rooster could be seasoned and marinated as much as 4 hours upfront for deeper taste.
- Pasta water: All the time reserve some starchy pasta water – it’s the key to a silky clean sauce that coats the pasta completely.
- Cheese substitutions: Be at liberty to substitute the ricotta with cream cheese or mascarpone for a special taste profile.
- Vegetable variations: Asparagus, bell peppers, or mushrooms work splendidly rather than or along with the broccoli and spinach.
- Storage: Leftovers hold properly within the fridge for as much as 3 days. Add a splash of milk or broth when reheating to revive creaminess.
Vitamin Info
Energy: 1008kcal (50%) Carbohydrates: 70g (23%) Protein: 47g (94%) Fats: 61g (94%) Saturated Fats: 27g (135%) Polyunsaturated Fats: 4g Monounsaturated Fats: 19g Trans Fats: 0.2g Ldl cholesterol: 189mg (63%) Sodium: 709mg (30%) Potassium: 1130mg (32%) Fiber: 5g (20%) Sugar: 9g (10%) Vitamin A: 2529IU (51%) Vitamin C: 28mg (34%) Calcium: 334mg (33%) Iron: 3mg (17%)