Pesto Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Blackened Chicken
This Pesto Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Blackened Chicken is over-the-top with flavor. Juicy, spicy chicken pieces nestled in a creamy pesto sauce pasta studded with tangy sun-dried tomatoes make for a delicious dish you'll want to make on repeat!
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
Blackening Spice
- 1 Tbsp. paprika
- 2 tsp. dried thume leaves
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. pepper
Pasta with Pesto Cream Sauce Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Blacked Chicken
- 12-oz. ditatlini pasta
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bit-size pieces
- 3 Tbsp. butter
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and patted somewhat dry
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup pesto
- 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Blackening Spice
- Combine all ingredients in a small dish or bowl and mix together with a fork until well combined.
Pasta with Pesto Cream Sauce Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Blacked Chicken
- Cook pasta al dente according to package directions, drain and then set aside, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
- Add your bite-size pieces of chicken to a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and then sprinkle with blackening seasoning and mix together until all the chicken pieces are well coated.
- Add seasoned chicken to a large deep skillet over medium-high heat in an even layer. Cook the chicken, stirring occasionally, until it's no longer pink inside, about 5-6 minutes. Once it's done, remove to a plate with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Melt your butter in a large clean deep skillet over medium heat. Add your minced garlic and sun-dried tomatoes and cook for one minute. Add heavy cream, pesto sauce, lemon juice and grated Parmesan cheese and mix until well combined. Let the sauce simmer on low for five minutes.
- Add cooked pasta and chicken and mix until well combined. If you feel like you'd like to add the reserved pasta water to thin out the sauce you can. Heat on low until everything is heated through and then serve.
Notes
I used sun-dried tomatoes in oil, but I drained the oil and patted them dry just a bit.
I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe, but you could substitute boneless, skinless chicken thighs if you prefer. You would just need to cook them at medium heat for a bit longer. I like to cook my thighs to an internal temperature of 185-190 degrees F.