A new take on an old classic, this Balsamic and Chicken Pesto Pasta will hit the spot!
Chicken Pesto Pasta
Last week I was totally craving pasta and cheese. I thought about making a yummy Baked Ziti but I didn’t have any sausage and I had some chicken that needed to be used. I also wanted something a little different, not a tomato based dish so I decided to use pesto and balsamic vinegar in a chicken pasta dish instead! With some store bought pesto this dish is easy to put together.
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I marinaded my chicken in the pesto. I also pounded the chicken breast to about 1/2 inch thin before marinading it. It allows the chicken to cook faster and more evenly. You can marinade it over night or just for a couple of hours. I then browned the chicken in a pan on the stove top for about 5 minutes and then put it into a 300 degree oven to finish cooking. Cook until cooked through, approx. 10-15 minutes depending on how thick your chicken is.
The sauce for this dish includes fresh diced tomatoes, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, fresh basil and some salt & pepper – yum!
This recipe makes a nice 9 x 13 full of yummy pasta!
Cook your pasta, slice up your chicken and add everything together. Pour it into a 9 x 13 and then cover with mozzarella cheese and bake!
Pesto Chicken Recipe
Balsamic and Chicken Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- 3/4 c pesto
- 4 skinless boneless chicken breasts pounded to 1/2 inch thick
- 1 lb penne pasta cooked
- 2 c tomatoes diced
- 1/4 c olive oil
- 1/4 c balsamic vinegar
- 4 tbsp fresh basil chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 c mozzarella cheese shredded
Instructions
- Placed pounded chicken breasts and pesto in a plastic bag in the refrigerator, overnight or at least 2 hours.
- Brown on both sides in frying pan for 5 minutes.
- Place in baking dish and finish baking in 300 degree oven until cooked through - approximately 10-15 minutes depending on how thick chicken is.
- Cut up chicken into bite size pieces.
- Cook pasta in boiling water.
- Mix together tomatoes, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and basil in bowl.
- Dice chicken.
- Mix together, tomato mixture, chicken, salt and pepper to taste and pasta and place in a 9x13 pan.
- Cover with cheese.
- Bake at 300 until cheese is melted and bubbly and mixture is heated through - approx. 20 minutes.
Nutrition
Recipe adapted from allrecipes.
oh wow! This looks so yummy!
Can I substitute fresh tomatoes with a can of diced tomatoes (drained)?
Christina – you absolutely could!
This sounds so yummy! My mouth is watering…
Thanks Lisa – it was a big hit at our house.
This looks so yummy! Can’t wait to try. :)
Kristyn, Hope you’ll try it and enjoy it as much as we did!
Yummy! I think my family would love this!
xoxo