Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake
Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake
Description
This is not just a regular baked pasta. It’s a rich and elegant creamy pesto chicken pasta that works perfectly for a nice dinner or a special gathering. Fresh basil pesto, juicy chicken, and melted mozzarella create a flavorful dish that looks impressive but is actually very easy to make.
Ingredients
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Pasta
Pesto
Chicken
Creamy Sauce
For Baking
Instructions
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Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until almost al dente, about two minutes before it is fully cooked. Reserve some of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
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To make the pesto, place the basil leaves, garlic, salt, pine nuts, and parmesan cheese in a food processor.
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Add olive oil starting with about half a cup and blend until the pesto becomes smooth. Add more olive oil if needed until you reach a thick but pourable consistency.
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Cut the chicken breasts lengthwise, pat them dry, and season lightly with olive oil, salt, and black pepper so the pesto flavor stays dominant.
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Heat olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat and cook the chicken until golden on both sides. Remove from the pan and slice.
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In the same pan, add the pesto and reduce the heat. Thin the pesto slightly with a little pasta cooking water.
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Add the cooking cream and stir until the sauce becomes smooth and creamy.
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Once the sauce begins to simmer, add the pasta and the sliced chicken and toss everything together for about two minutes so the pasta absorbs the sauce.
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At this point the dish is ready to eat, but for an extra delicious result transfer it to a baking dish.
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Top with mozzarella cheese and place in the oven until the cheese melts and becomes lightly golden.
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