This 30-minute chicken penne pesto recipe is your new favorite last-minute dinner! It’s done so quickly, you can even use canned chicken if you are really crunched for time. Swap the frozen green beans and cherry tomatoes for whatever veggies you have on hand! Originally published May 2, 2018.
Table of Contents
- How to make chicken pesto pasta
- Chicken pesto pasta recipe ingredients
- Chicken pesto pasta recipe substitutions
- How to make chicken pesto pasta
- What pairs well with chicken pesto pasta
- How to store chicken pesto pasta
- More easy, delicious pasta recipes
- 30 Minute Pesto Penne with Chicken and Cherry Tomatoes Recipe
My friend Melissa was over the other day and mentioned that she was bringing dinner to our other friend who just had surgery. I asked her what she was bringing because I’m always looking for ideas beyond this Postpartum Ziti (although it is always a winner).
She said she brings this chicken penne pesto recipe that her sister gave her a long time ago. I asked for the recipe and she emailed me the next day, “Hey Karen! Are you amazed I’m remembering to email you this recipe?? I am!” I was, too! Most of the time, when I ask for a recipe from someone, I have to beg for it (like I did for a year to get these Bacon Baked Beans).
You are awesome, Melissa!
How to make chicken pesto pasta
I’m in LOVE with this penne recipe. It is so, so easy, and DELICIOUS. (Can you go wrong with a sauce made from mayonnaise and pesto? No.) In fact, Melissa said this in her email, “If you’re one of those mayo-is-the-devil type people, I bet you could try plain Greek yogurt. But it’s delicious with mayo, haha.” Nope, I am not one of those people! Mayo is one of God’s greatest gifts to the sauce kingdom.
Featured Comment
“I’m so glad I found this recipe! We make it ALL the time. Thank you so much for sharing!” – Misty Dawn
Chicken pesto pasta recipe ingredients
This is the perfect weeknight meal for when you forget to plan dinner. Keep frozen green beans on hand, or you can totally swap out whatever veggies you have. I opted for browning a couple of chicken breasts, but Melissa says she uses canned chicken most of the time, and I think rotisserie chicken would be just as good. Either way, sometimes you just gotta get ‘er done, right? I am all over that.
Here’s a quick shopping list to help you gather your ingredients. Jump to the recipe card below for the full ingredients and instructions!
- salt & pepper
- penne pasta
- green beans (frozen)
- chicken breasts
- Lawry’s seasoned salt
- steak seasoning
- olive oil
- mayonnaise
- pesto
- white vinegar
- cherry tomatoes
- Parmesan cheese
Chicken pesto pasta recipe substitutions
This recipe is pretty versatile. Feel free to make this recipe your own with whatever you have on hand. You can swap in gluten-free pasta if that’s your thing (just make sure to cook it al dente so it’s not mushy). Not a mayo fan? No problem—use sour cream, light mayo, or even Miracle Whip instead. Don’t have green beans? Asparagus works great too. And if you’ve got a little extra time, go ahead and marinate the chicken beforehand for even more flavor.
How to make chicken pesto pasta
- Start by bringing a big pot (or a high-sided skillet) of water to a boil. Toss in a generous tablespoon of salt—it should taste like the ocean. While waiting for the water to boil, slice the breasts into thin strips, pat them dry, and season with some Lawry’s and steak seasoning—just eyeball it. Once the water is boiling, add the penne and set a timer for 5 minutes.
- While the pasta cooks, heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add enough oil to coat the bottom—about 1 to 2 teaspoons. Once the oil’s shimmering, add a few strips of chicken at a time (don’t overcrowd the pan—we want them to brown, not steam). Cook for about 2 minutes, then flip and cook another minute or so until browned. Keep going until all the chicken is done. Let it rest for a few minutes on a cutting board, then chop it into bite-size pieces.
- When the pasta timer goes off, add the frozen green beans. You don’t have to use the whole bag—just whatever feels right. Set another timer for 4 minutes. When the time’s up, taste a piece of pasta and a green bean. The pasta should be al dente, and the green beans just barely tender. Once they’re good, drain everything and put it back in the pot. If you’re not adding the sauce right away, stir in a couple of teaspoons of oil so nothing sticks together.
- To make the sauce, in a small bowl, stir together the mayo, pesto, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Then, slice up the tomatoes and shred your Parmesan. Toss the cooked pasta with the sauce, tomatoes, Parmesan, and chopped chicken. Give it all a good stir. Serve it up hot and sprinkle a little more Parmesan on top.
What pairs well with chicken pesto pasta
I love this recipe because it’s a complete meal—protein, veggies, and carbs—all in one bowl. But if you are extra hungry or serving it for a group, you might want to add a salad or some bread to round out the meal.
- Grilled Tomato, Basil & Mozzarella Salad (Caprese Salad Recipe) >> serve this as a first course to really impress your guests
- Italian Wedding Soup >> this soup is PACKED with goodness
- Quick and Easy French Bread Recipe >> you are only one hour away from delicious homemade bread!
- The Best Garlic Butter Bread >> because garlic bread and pasta are a match made in heaven
- Focaccia Bread {Fast} >> soft, pillowy focaccia is the BEST
- Restaurant-Style Olive Oil and Balsamic Bread Dip >> nothing beats bread, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar that’s been jazzed up with some spices and garlic
- Simple Caesar Salad from Amanda Cooks and Styles
- Classic Italian Bread from Girl vs Dough
- Grilled Vegetable Antipasto Platter from The Healthy Home Cook
How to store chicken pesto pasta
To store chicken pesto pasta, just pop it into an airtight container and keep it in the fridge. It’ll stay fresh for about 3 to 4 days. When you’re ready to eat, you can reheat it in the microwave or on the stove with a splash of water or a little extra pesto to loosen it up. It’s also surprisingly good cold—kind of like a pasta salad!
You can freeze chicken pesto pasta, but with a couple of notes. The texture might change a bit—especially the pasta and green beans, which can get a little softer after thawing. If that doesn’t bother you, go for it! Store it in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to eat, thaw it in the fridge overnight and reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave with a splash of water, chicken broth, or extra pesto to freshen it up.
More easy, delicious pasta recipes
The Best Baked Ziti with Sausage >> seriously the best baked ziti ever. EVER!
20 Minute Broccoli Lemon Pasta Skillet >> one of my favorite quick pasta dishes
Easy BLT Pasta Salad >> love this one!!
Best Chicken Alfredo Recipe >> if you have never had homemade chicken fettuccine alfredo, you haven’t lived
White Lasagna with Chicken and Pesto >> EASY lasagna filled with chicken, pesto, spinach, and a creamy white sauce
Extra Cheesy Penne and Mozzarella Casserole >> perfect for a meatless Monday meal
Pesto Caprese Penne Pasta from Three Olives Branch
Lemon Greek Penne Pasta from CopyKat Recipes
Beet Pesto Pasta from A Spicy Perspective
Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram
30 Minute Pesto Penne with Chicken and Cherry Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon salt, for boiling water
- 16 ounces penne pasta
- 16 ounces green beans, French cut frozen, unthawed
- 2 chicken breasts, sliced thin
- 3/4 teaspoon Lawry’s seasoned salt
- 1/2 teaspoon steak seasoning
- olive oil
- 3/4 cup mayonaisse
- 1/4 cup pesto
- 1 & 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 box cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- 1/4 cup Parmesan, shredded
- more Parmesan, for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot (or high sided skillet) of water to boil, adding about a tablespoon of salt (it should taste like the ocean). When the water is boiling, add the penne and set a timer for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, add the frozen green beans. You don’t have to use the whole bag, it’s up to you. Set another timer for 4 minutes. Check the pasta and a green bean to see if they are cooked. You want the pasta al dente and the green beans just barely tender. When it is done, drain completely and return to the pot. If it’s going to be a while before you add the sauce, stir in a couple teaspoons of oil.
- Meanwhile, prepare the chicken. Slice each breast into thin strips, pat dry, and season with Lawry’s and steak seasoning (you can just eyeball it).
- Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add oil to coat the pan, 1-2 teaspoons. When the oil shimmers, add a few of the chicken strips (not all of them.) Make sure there is space in between. We want them to brown, not steam. After 2 minutes (or when you can see that it is brown), flip the chicken over and cook for one more minute or until browned. Continue until all the chicken is cooked. Set aside on a cutting board and let rest. Once it has cooled a bit, chop into bite-size strips.
- In a small bowl combine the mayonnaise, pesto, vinegar, salt, and pepper.
- Slice the tomatoes and shred the Parmesan.
- When the pasta is drained, add the sauce, tomatoes, Parmesan, and chopped chicken. Stir it up.
- Serve hot and garnish with shredded Parmesan.
Notes
How to store chicken pesto pasta
To store chicken pesto pasta, just pop it into an airtight container and keep it in the fridge. It’ll stay fresh for about 3 to 4 days. When you’re ready to eat, you can reheat it in the microwave or on the stove with a splash of water or a little extra pesto to loosen it up. It’s also surprisingly good cold—kind of like a pasta salad! You can freeze chicken pesto pasta but with a couple of notes. The texture might change a bit—especially the pasta and green beans, which can get a little softer after thawing. If that doesn’t bother you, go for it! Store it in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to eat, thaw it in the fridge overnight and reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave with a splash of water, chicken broth, or extra pesto to freshen it up.
Nutrition
I’m so glad I found this recipe! We make it ALL the time. Thank you so much for sharing! It’s my family’s favorite, and now my DIL makes it frequently as well. We adapt it as well, to whatever we have here, but seriously, so good! My kids get so excited when they know it’s for dinner! Plus we make pesto all year long from home grown basil, so this gives us a perfect dinner!
Ooh Misty I’m jealous of your home grown basil pesto! that sounds amazing. So happy you are loving this recipe and finding ways to adapt it! Thanks so much for leaving a comment, I love hearing from you đŸ’•
This recipe looks delish! Do you have any substitutes for mayo? My husband is crazy and doesn’t like the taste of mayo. Thanks!
Hey Abby! He is crazy. ;) What if you did half mayo, half sour cream? Or half mayo, half Greek yogurt? Would he sniff it out? If you can’t sneak in any mayo then I say go with sour cream. The flavor will be different but it will still be super tasty. Enjoy!
I loved this recipe so much! I made it last night and decided to share it on my blog!
https://tammysreadinglife.wordpress.com/2018/05/10/my-new-1-quick-dinner/
Hey Tammy, I’m so happy you loved the recipe! It’s great when you find a recipe that works for the whole family. Thanks for sharing with your readers! :)
Made this last night….WOW! Fabulous! I swapped fresh asparagus for the green beans, and light mayo for regular just to cut back on the calories a bit. You gotta make this!
Ooh this would be so delicious with asparagus! Good tip Vicki! I’m so glad you liked it. Thanks for leaving a comment!!
I made this for dinner last night and it was wonderful! I grilled my chicken after having marinating it for 5 hours and I used mini penne. This was truly a great dish – will be making this often!
Yay! I’m so glad you loved it Kim! Good idea adding grilled marinated chicken, that sounds delicious. Thanks so much for coming back to comment! It means so much to us food bloggers! :)
You make this recipe look GOOOOOD! Now I want to eat some. That’s how much I like this recipe, it’s been years and my family and I still love it! Hooray for fast easy dinners!
Yay, thanks again for the recipe Melissa!! I can already tell this is going to become one of those all-the-time kind of dinners, my kids loved it so much!
hi karen! long time no long rambling comments from me XD
just wanted to say the redesign looks awesome, and so does this pasta!
Hi Stephanie!! Thank you so much!! I love your long rambling comments, they make my day!! <3