So in my group of friends & Sunday School, there is a recipe that we all LOVE - chicken pesto pasta. Whenever someone has a baby, our friend A makes her chicken pesto pasta and it's FAMOUS!!! It's possibly one of the best things I've ever eaten...the problem is it's her secret recipe.
In our efforts to be able to recreate the chicken pesto pasta, a few of us have been trying out different recipes we've found online. I've found one that's really good...not quite as good as A's, but it'll do until we have baby #2!!
So here it is...the REALLY GOOD 'wanna-be CPP'
Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta
Photo courtesy of http://www.thedeliciouslife.com/2005/06/pesto-control-grilled-chicken-pesto/
Ingredients
- 1 lb penne pasta
- 3 boneless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (I don't add this to mine)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2 cups heavy cream (we usually just use half & half)
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons basil pesto
- shredded parmesan cheese (to garnish)
Directions
- Cook pasta according to package. Drain and set aside.
- In large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter and the olive oil over medium heat.
- Brown chicken breasts on both sides until nicely golden and cooked through, about 8-9 minutes each side. Remove from pan and cut into 1/2 pieces.
- Pour out drippings from pan but don't wipe the pan out. In the same pan, melt 1/4 cup butter on medium heat. Add the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. Sauté for 2 minutes. Stir in heavy cream and dash of white pepper. Cook 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently. Slowly stir in the Parmesan cheese into a creamy mixture, stirring constantly. Stir in the pesto sauce and cook for about 5 minutes, until thickened. Stir in the chicken pieces for about 3 minutes.
- Serve chicken and sauce over the hot noodles.
- Garnish with parmesan cheese and fresh ground black pepper (optional).
