Creamy Pesto and Chicken Pasta

I know your hot. 


Let me rephrase that. 


What I meant to say is, I know it’s hot this summer and that you must be hot because you and summer are existing together right now and summer is hot, man. Really hot. 


Which leads me to believe, you might not like heating up your oven, but you still might want a meal that is knock your socks of fabulous. Even though it’s hot, right?


Right. 


Make this Creamy Pesto and Chicken Pasta, my friends. You don’t need to crank up your oven, it’s all made on the stove top in 30 minutes or less. Flavorful golden brown chicken breasts are topped with creamy pesto sauce and served over a bed of warm pasta. You can make it with any kind of pasta really. The choice is up to you. My family loves it with bowtie, penne, or the corkskrew pasta you see in the pictures. 


Hope you make it and love it. 


You…


and your hotter than hot


self. 🙂 

Chicken Pesto Pasta Bake
Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 5-6 servings
Recipe from Jamie Cooks It Up!
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Chicken:
4-5 chicken breasts
1/2 C flour
1/8 t salt
dash pepper
3 T olive oil


Sauce: 
1 (6.25 ounce) jar pesto (just a bit less than 1 cup)
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 C milk
1 C chicken broth
1/2 t sugar
1 T butter


Pasta:
1/2 (16 ounce) box bowtie, penne or corkscrew pasta

1. Cut your chicken breasts into 3 inch chunks and set them aside. 
2. Toss 1/2 cup flour, 1/8 teaspoon of salt and a dash of pepper into a loaf pan. 

3. Heat a large skillet up over medium high heat. Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan and let it get hot. 

3. Dredge each piece of chicken in the flour and then carefully place them in the hot pan. Turn the heat down to medium low.  Let the chicken get nice and golden brown on the bottom. Then turn them over and let them get golden brown on the other side. When the chicken has cooked through remove from the pan and onto a clean plate. Cover the plate with tin foil and set it aside.
4. While your chicken cooks, boil some water and cook your pasta according to the package directions.  

5. Pour 1 cup of chicken broth  

and 1 cup of milk (I used 1 %) into the hot pan. Use a whisk to break up the crispy chicken leftovers in the bottom of your pan. 

6. Add just a bit less than 1 cup of pesto, 

and one block of softened cream cheese. Give it a nice stir. The cream cheese will start to melt down and incorporate into the sauce. Don’t worry if it is chunky at first. 

7. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium high heat, whisking it occasionally. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes, or until it thickens up a bit. 
8. Remove the pan from the heat and add 1/2 teaspoon sugar and 1 T butter. If your sauce is too thick, add a bit more milk to thin it out. 
9. Serve immediately over hot pasta. The sauce with continue to thicken as it cools, so it’s best to eat it soon after you make it. 


Enjoy!