This dish takes about 30 minutes of cooking and uses one skillet. You sear chicken strips with a lot of garlic, build a cream and pesto sauce in the same pan, then fold in cooked penne and cherry tomatoes. Four servings, five steps, one pan to wash.
The trick is cooking the penne before you start. The sauce moves fast once the cream goes in, and you do not want to be draining pasta while it reduces. Boil the pasta first, drain it, and leave it in the colander while the chicken cooks.
Garlic is the loudest flavor here, so use the full 2 tablespoons. That sounds like a lot. It is not, once the cream and pesto dilute it.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Heat the pan and add everything
Set a 12-inch skillet over high heat and add the canola oil. When it shimmers, add the chicken strips, chopped garlic, kosher salt and black pepper all at once. Spread the chicken into a single layer.
2. Sear the chicken
Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, turning the strips once or twice, until they are browned on the outside and no pink remains inside. Check one thick strip with a thermometer. It should read 165F (74C).
3. Build the sauce
Lower the heat to medium. Pour in the heavy cream and add the Parmesan and pesto. Stir until the cheese melts and the sauce is one even color.
4. Reduce the sauce
Turn the heat back up and bring the sauce to a boil. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often, until it thickens enough to coat a spoon. Do not walk away. Cream boils over quickly.
5. Toss in pasta and tomatoes
Add the cooked penne and the halved cherry tomatoes. Toss for 1 to 2 minutes until everything is hot and coated. Pull the pan off the heat.
6. Garnish and serve
Scatter extra Parmesan and chopped fresh basil over the top. Serve right away, in warm bowls.
How to Store One-Pan Garlic Chicken Pesto Pasta
Refrigerator
Keep leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days. The pasta will absorb sauce as it sits.
Freezer
Freezing is not recommended. The cream sauce separates and the pasta turns soft on thawing.
Reheating
Warm gently in a covered skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water or cream, 4 to 5 minutes, stirring. A microwave works but heats unevenly, so stir halfway.
Tips & Tricks
- Cook and drain the penne before you heat the skillet. The sauce needs your full attention once the cream goes in.
- Pat the chicken strips dry before they hit the pan. Wet chicken steams instead of browning.
- Use a 12-inch skillet or a wide braiser. A crowded pan traps moisture and the chicken will not brown.
- Check the chicken with an instant-read thermometer. It should read 165F (74C) in the thickest part. Color alone will not tell you.
- Grate the Parmesan on the fine side of a box grater so it melts into the cream without clumping.
Variations
- Add 2 handfuls of baby spinach with the pasta and tomatoes. It wilts in under a minute.
- Stir in 1/4 cup of toasted walnuts at the end for crunch.
- Squeeze half a lemon over the finished pan if the cream and pesto taste heavy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I use a different pasta shape?
Yes. The recipe calls for 3 cups of cooked penne, which is about 1 1/2 cups dry. Fusilli, rigatoni or farfalle all hold the sauce well. Cook any of them to the same doneness.
Q: How do I know the chicken is done without a thermometer?
Cut the thickest strip in half. The meat should be white all the way through with no pink, and the juices should run clear. A thermometer is still the reliable check, and it should read 165F (74C).
Q: Why did my sauce turn grainy?
Usually heat. Cream and Parmesan can split if the pan is too hot or the dairy is cold when it goes in. Keep the heat at medium while the cheese melts, then raise it to reduce.
Q: Can I make this ahead?
The sauce thickens a lot as it cools. If you cook it ahead, reheat it over medium-low with a splash of cream or water and stir until it loosens. Add the basil fresh at serving.
Q: Is the pesto amount adjustable?
Yes. Start with 1/4 cup and taste. Some pestos are much saltier than others, so you may want less salt in the pan if yours is on the salty side.
One-Pan Garlic Chicken Pesto Pasta in 45 Minutes
Sear garlicky chicken strips, simmer cream with Parmesan and pesto, then toss with penne and cherry tomatoes. One skillet, four servings, about 45 minutes.
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1Heat the pan and add everything — Set a 12-inch skillet over high heat and add the canola oil. When it shimmers, add the chicken strips, chopped garlic, kosher salt and black pepper all at once. Spread the chicken into a single layer.
- 2Sear the chicken — Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, turning the strips once or twice, until they are browned on the outside and no pink remains inside. Check one thick strip with a thermometer. It should read 165F (74C).
- 3Build the sauce — Lower the heat to medium. Pour in the heavy cream and add the Parmesan and pesto. Stir until the cheese melts and the sauce is one even color.
- 4Reduce the sauce — Turn the heat back up and bring the sauce to a boil. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often, until it thickens enough to coat a spoon. Do not walk away. Cream boils over quickly.
- 5Toss in pasta and tomatoes — Add the cooked penne and the halved cherry tomatoes. Toss for 1 to 2 minutes until everything is hot and coated. Pull the pan off the heat.
- 6Garnish and serve — Scatter extra Parmesan and chopped fresh basil over the top. Serve right away, in warm bowls.
Food safety: Check the thickest part with a food thermometer. Poultry must reach 165°F (74°C); color alone is not reliable.
Maya writes about easy American cookies and bars, plus eggs and breakfast casseroles for busy mornings. She focuses on pantry-friendly ingredients, reliable bake times, and make-ahead steps that fit real weekday schedules. Her recipes keep instructions short and checkpoints clear so nothing gets overbaked or underdone.
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