Jamie Oliver Chicken Pesto Pasta Recipe
Looking for a quick weeknight dinner? This Jamie Oliver Chicken Pesto Pasta Recipe is perfect. It combines tender chicken with creamy pesto sauce.
Equipment
- Large pot
- Big frying pan
- Sharp knife
- Cutting Board
- Wooden Spoon
- Measuring Spoons
- Colander
Ingredients
- 400 g pasta penne or fusilli works best
- 3 chicken breasts about 500g total
- 200 g fresh basil pesto
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 100 ml pasta cooking water
- 50 g parmesan cheese grated
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- Cherry tomatoes optional, 150g halved
Instructions
- Cut chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces.
- Season with salt and pepper generously.
- This helps flavor the meat properly.
- Set aside on a clean plate.
- Fill a large pot with water.
- Add a pinch of salt.
- Bring water to a rolling boil.
- Add pasta and cook until al dente.
- This takes about 10-12 minutes.
- Save one cup of pasta water.
- Drain the rest in a colander.
- Heat olive oil in a large pan.
- Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Add chicken pieces to the hot pan.
- Cook for 6-8 minutes until golden brown.
- Make sure chicken is cooked through completely.
- The inside should be white, not pink.
- Add cooked pasta to the chicken pan.
- Pour in the basil pesto sauce.
- Mix everything together gently.
- Add pasta water to loosen the sauce.
- Stir in grated parmesan cheese.
- Toss until everything is well coated.
- Add cherry tomatoes if you're using them.
- Cook for 2 more minutes.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Serve hot with extra parmesan on top.
Notes
- Don't overcook your pasta. Al dente is best.
- Use fresh pesto for better flavor.
- Store-bought works fine too.
- Save pasta water before draining.
- It helps make the sauce creamy.
- Cut chicken into equal-sized pieces.
- They'll cook evenly this way.
- Don't skip the garlic step.
- It adds wonderful depth.
- Let chicken get golden brown.
- This creates great flavor.
- Add pasta water gradually, not all at once.
- Taste before serving and adjust seasoning.
- Fresh basil on top looks beautiful.