Ingredients
½ pound Penne pasta (about 2 ½ cups dry)
1 tablespoon Olive oil
2 Garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 pound Boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized chunks
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons Butter
3 tablespoons All-purpose flour
1 cup Chicken broth
1 cup Half and half (or milk/cream)
½ cup Freshly grated Parmesan
1 cup Freshly shredded Mozzarella
½ cup Basil pesto (or more, to taste)
Fresh basil for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Boil the penne pasta to al dente according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and diced chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Cook the chicken until it is no longer pink, stirring occasionally to ensure it browns evenly on all sides. Once done, transfer the chicken to a plate and discard any liquid in the skillet.
- Return the skillet to the heat and melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 3 minutes, or until it turns golden.
- Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and half and half, then bring to a boil. If the sauce begins to boil too rapidly, reduce the heat. Let the sauce simmer for about 5 minutes, or until it thickens.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the pesto and cheeses. Add the cooked pasta and chicken into the skillet, stirring until everything is evenly coated with the creamy sauce.
- Garnish with fresh chopped basil and freshly cracked black pepper for added flavor and visual appeal. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Add-Ins: Customize this dish with fresh spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, yellow squash, mushrooms, or cherry tomatoes.
- Pasta: You can substitute the penne with other pasta shapes like fusilli, rigatoni, or farfalle.
- Cheese: If you want to reduce the amount of cheese, try adding half of the mozzarella and Parmesan at first, mixing well before adding the rest.
- Spice it up: For a kick, consider adding red pepper flakes to the pesto sauce.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze the dish for up to 4 months. Make sure to let it cool completely before storing.
- Reheating: When reheating, thaw frozen pasta in the fridge overnight. Reheat on the stove over low heat, adding a little milk or cream to prevent it from drying out. Stir occasionally until it’s warmed through.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Gluten Free
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 80mg
