This creamy chicken Philadelphia pasta with pesto is not only rich in flavor but also requires minimal effort and time. It is versatile and can be prepared in under 20 minutes, making it an ideal choice for a hassle-free weeknight dinner, utilizing just a few basic ingredients.
A close-up of Philadelphia chicken pasta, garnished with rocket and tomatoes.
Chicken Philly pesto pasta
This dish is a wonderfully creamy Philadelphia pasta, although it may shock an Italian (as Italians typically do not combine chicken with pasta). Nevertheless, I will continue to prepare it, as I thoroughly enjoy this chicken and Philadelphia pasta.
Originally, my chicken coleslaw salad was intended to utilize an excess of turkey, but it is equally delightful when made with chicken. This traditional, mildly spiced salad blends British and Indian flavors; coronation chicken remains a timeless favorite.
Here is a collection of my preferred recipes for leftover roast chicken, perfect for quick, easy, and delicious midweek meals and beyond!
For me, it represents the ultimate comfort food after a long day at work. I find it incredibly quick and simple to prepare, making it an excellent way to serve a tasty meal that cooks in mere minutes. It becomes even faster if you use leftover roast chicken from Sunday’s dinner.
Like many of my favorite recipes, there are countless variations you can try with different vegetables. My best advice for incorporating green vegetables is to add them to the pasta pot towards the end of the cooking time and cook them alongside the pasta, ensuring they remain vibrant and fresh, while also reducing the amount of washing up!
How to prepare chicken Philly pesto pasta
A top-down collage of six images illustrating step-by-step instructions for preparation.
Begin by measuring and preparing the ingredients – dice the chicken and grate the cheese. I always find that taking a few minutes to measure everything in advance saves a significant amount of time later. It greatly reduces the likelihood of omitting an essential ingredient. Additionally, I often find myself cooking too much pasta. By measuring out portions, this issue is completely resolved!
Step two – Heat a small frying pan and pour in a generous amount of olive oil, then add the diced chicken breast. Cook the chicken for 5 minutes, turning the pieces frequently to prevent burning. If the chicken is not browning, incorporate a teaspoon of butter into the frying pan to assist with the cooking.
(If you are utilizing leftover roast chicken, simply fry it for a minute to warm it up.)
Step three – Once the chicken is thoroughly cooked and has developed some color, add one heaped tablespoon each of Philadelphia cream cheese and pesto. Mix these ingredients together with the chicken.
Scoop out an espresso cup of pasta water (approximately 75 ml). Incorporate the pasta water into the chicken mixture, along with half of the grated cheese, to create a sauce. The addition of pasta water to sauces results in a delectably smooth, velvety texture that evenly coats the pasta without the need for excessive butter or oil!
Step four – As the pasta nears completion, add the peas to the pan to cook.
Making Philadelphia chicken pasta – the finished dish is ready to serve.
Step five – Drain the pasta and peas, then combine them with the sauce. Stir thoroughly and serve immediately, garnished with the remaining cheese.
Hints, tips and variations for Philly Pesto Chicken Pasta
This dish is incredibly forgiving, so feel free to use what you have on hand!
Utilize any pasta shapes available. Due to the chunks of chicken, short pasta shapes are more suitable than spaghetti or other noodles.
Employ leftover roast chicken or turkey – just heat it through for a minute in the frying pan.
Incorporate some chopped bacon and fry it alongside the chicken.
Opt for red pesto for a vibrant twist.
Substitute the peas with sweetcorn, or use a combination of both.
Add extra vegetables with our helpful suggestions for enhancing pasta dishes.
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Notes
Hints, tips, and variations for Philly Pesto Chicken Pasta
This dish is incredibly forgiving, so feel free to use what you have on hand!
You can use any pasta shapes available. Due to the chunks of chicken, shorter pasta shapes are preferable to spaghetti or other long noodles.
Utilize leftover roast chicken or turkey – simply heat it in the frying pan for a minute.
Incorporate some chopped bacon and fry it alongside the chicken.
Consider using red pesto for a vibrant twist.
Replace the peas with sweetcorn, or combine both.
Enhance your dish with additional vegetables by following our useful tips for incorporating extra veggies into pasta recipes.
• Please be aware that the nutritional information provided below is approximate and intended as a guideline only.
• Unless specified otherwise, cup conversions have been performed using an online tool. For precise measurements, please consult your preferred conversion tool. We suggest investing in affordable digital kitchen scales.
Philadelphia Cream Cheese Ingredients
* 1 tsp. oil
* 4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts (1 lb./450 g)
* 1/4 cup PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese Spread
* 1/3 cup 25%-less-sodium chicken broth
* 2 Tbsp. pesto
Philadelphia Cream Cheese Instructions
Heat oil in large nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add chicken; cook 6 to 8 min. on each side or until done (170ºF). Transfer to plate; cover to keep warm.
Add cream cheese spread to skillet; cook on medium heat 5 min. or until melted, stirring constantly. Whisk in broth and pesto; cook and stir 2 to 3 min. or until sauce is thickened and well blended. Pour over chicken..enjoy Creamy PHILLY Pesto Chicken !
Creamy PHILLY Pesto Chicken Video :
