Pesto Pasta with Chicken

I was lucky enough, I suppose, to document my first experience with pesto. It was on a homemade sandwich—the Grilled Pesto Chicken Panini. And I loved it.

As the post shares, I couldn’t wait to use it again. As it turns out, I didn’t use or write about it again. Until now. 

I was re-introduced to it by a friend. It was served as originally intended – on pasta. And I loved it.

Pesto originated in Italy. More specifically, it originated in Genoa in the Liguria region of Italy. Pesto’s star ingredient is basil. The sauce is traditionally served over pasta. It can also be served on bread.

Using fresh basil from her garden, my friend served pasta with pesto. I was immediately hooked on the fresh taste & velvety texture of the sauce on the noodles. So when I began growing basil and harvesting my first garlic crop the next season, I found a pesto recipe and started making it at home. 

Pesto Pasta with Chicken is one of our easy recipes and is an excellent summer recipe. Not only does it pair well with summer in general but that is when I especially enjoy making it because of the fresh garlic and big basil harvest I get from my garden then.

Jump to:

• Getting Started
• Ingredient Recommendations
• Ingredient Alternatives
• Finishing Touches
• Pairings
• Leftovers
• Recipe

Getting Started

I like to get all of the pesto ingredients together to begin this recipe. One of the first steps is to wash and dry the fresh basil. Then remove the basil leaves from the stem simply by pinching them off. 

Next, measure out the pine nuts and peel the garlic cloves. Pour the olive oil into a measuring glass and set aside. If needed, grate the cheese and measure it out. The salt and lemon juice should be kept nearby, too.

You’ll also want to have your food processor out and ready. Once the pasta water is started and the chicken is cooking (or better yet, grilling) it will be time to start making the pesto.

Pesto Pasta with Chicken Ingredient Recommendations

The quality and freshness of the pesto ingredients can impact the flavor and texture. I have made this with store-brand or basic ingredients and I have made it with a mix of basic and higher quality ingredients. Generally, I’d caution against mixing too high-quality ingredients with basic ones. I haven’t yet made it with only higher quality ingredients but I hope to soon. Below are recommendations for both store-brand or basic ingredients and higher quality or the best that can be afforded.

Basil

The basil should always be fresh. I consider the highest quality fresh basil for pesto to be Genovese Basil grown in your own garden if you have one. Otherwise, another variety of fresh, locally grown basil is a good option. Or you can pick up a basil plant or packaged fresh basil in the produce section at your local grocery store.

Pine Nuts

So far, I have only made this recipe with walnuts. Traditionally, pesto is made with pine nuts. In addition to pine nuts being expensive, I have been turned off to pine nuts. I tried them toasted in a different recipe where they stood more alone versus being mixed in with other ingredients. I look forward to giving them a try again.

While pesto purists may oppose the use of anything but pine nuts in pesto, I appreciate the alternatives of walnuts or sunflower seeds.

Garlic

Like the basil, I consider the highest quality of garlic for pesto to be garlic from your own garden, if you have a garden that is. Otherwise locally grown and found at say a local farmer’s market is a good option. A bulb of garlic from the grocery store is just fine, too. Only if in a terrible pinch should a jar of minced garlic be used. 

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

Extra-virgin olive oil, as opposed to any other variation of olive oil, should be used. Preferably one of the best quality you can afford. The highest quality extra-virgin olive oil would of course be imported from Italy. These bottles usually say ‘Product of Italy’ or ‘100% Italian’ and the only ingredient is olive oil. You can usually find these options at a few different price points. Certainly, your budget for extra-virgin olive oil should consider the quality of the other ingredients you’ll be using. For example, it could be a waste to pair a higher-priced, imported extra-virgin olive oil with a store-brand grated parmesan cheese from a shaker.

Olive oil could be used but I don’t recommend it especially if you’ve gone out of your way to source fresh and higher quality ingredients for the rest of the recipe.

Cheese

The highest quality of parmesan cheese would be a carefully selected wedge of imported Parmigiano-Reggiano to grate at home. The next best option for cheese would be a wedge of parmesan or Parmigiano-Reggiano from the grocery store that you grate for the recipe. And finally, and I reach for this more often than the others, is store-brand grated parmesan cheese in a plastic shaker.

Going forward, as I start to put more selection into the quality of the other ingredients, I will only be resorting to the generic, plastic shaker cheese for this recipe in a real pinch.

Lemon Juice

I consider the highest quality lemon juice to be fresh-squeezed so definitely use that when time allows. Definitely use fresh lemon juice when you’ve sourced the highest quality of all of the other ingredients above. Bottled lemon juice can be used in a pinch as well.

Pesta Pasta with Chicken Ingredient Alternatives

Vegetarian

To make this dish vegetarian, omit the chicken. I will post a vegetarian pesto pasta recipe soon, too.

Finishing Touches

Follow the recipe card instructions to use some of the pasta water. This helps the sauce stick to the pasta and adds the ultimate, creamy finish. For this mantecare-esque technique, I drain some of the pasta water into a large measuring glass and then drain the rest into the sink. If I forget to grab a measuring glass and don’t want to dirty another dish, I drain most of the pasta water into the sink and leave some pasta water in with the noodles.

Either way, add the pesto sauce to the drained pasta and toss together with pasta tongs.

Serve the pasta in a warmed pasta dish. Then, top with chicken and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

Pairings

I try to serve either store-brand garlic bread or a simple homemade bruschetta with this pasta dish. And I grab a chilled bottle of Sauvignon Blanc and pour a glass to go with this, too.

Pesto Pasta with Chicken Leftovers

This recipe makes four servings. So after serving two people, I always have a serving or two left over. Store any pesto pasta and chicken leftovers in the fridge. They make a nice, quick lunch when reheated in the microwave.

If you choose to make a batch of pesto on its own and keep it separate from the pasta, the pesto can be stored on its own. Leftover pesto can be refrigerated but lots of rules to maintain freshness and color come with that. I find it easiest to freeze it. I fill a small, lidded ice cube tray with pesto. Then I label and date it for later use.