• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Toasty Kitchen

  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • Subscribe
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • About
  • FAQ

subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • About
  • FAQ

×
Home » Recipes » Easy Meals

Pesto Chicken Pasta

Modified: May 24, 2024 · Published: Mar 13, 2020 by Heather · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 838 words. · About 5 minutes to read this article.

Jump to Recipe
Pesto Chicken Pasta (5 ingredients) by The Toasty Kitchen
Pesto Chicken Pasta (5 ingredients) by The Toasty Kitchen
Pesto Chicken Pasta (5 ingredients) by The Toasty Kitchen

Pesto chicken pasta is an easy, 20 minute meal that's made with just five shelf-stable ingredients. Bow tie pasta and chicken are coated in a rich and flavorful pesto sauce with sun-dried tomatoes.

Bow tie pasta coated in a basil pesto sauce.

Pesto chicken pasta is a great meal to prepare when you can't make it to the grocery store and don't have fresh ingredients on hand. You only need five shelf-stable ingredients and the entire recipe comes together in about 20 minutes.

Two main ingredients do the heavy lifting in this recipe - pesto and sun-dried tomatoes in oil. Together, they create a delicious and flavorful oil-based sauce to coat the chicken and pasta.

Serve pesto chicken pasta for a quick weeknight meal. It's easy to make ahead for meal prep and can be served warm or chilled.

Ingredients and substitutions

The five ingredients needed to make pesto chicken pasta.
  • Pasta - I used bow tie pasta for this recipe, but feel free to use any shape or size of pasta you have on hand. Spaghetti, penne, or macaroni will all work fine.
  • Canned chicken - Can be substituted with cooked and cubed chicken or shredded rotisserie chicken. Chicken could also be substituted with a can of rinsed and drained cannellini beans for a vegetarian variation.
  • Garlic cloves - Can be substituted with ½ teaspoon of garlic powder. However, I prefer the flavor from garlic cloves and suggest using them if you have them on hand.
  • Sun-dried tomatoes - We're utilizing the tomatoes as well as some of the oil from the jar to create a flavorful sauce for our pasta. I don't recommend omitting this ingredient because it does some heavy lifting in this recipe.
  • Pesto - Adds a bright, herb flavor to the dish and coats the pasta to create a sauce along with the sun-dried tomato oil. Pesto from a jar or homemade fresh pesto works in this recipe.

Tips and tricks

Adding ingredients to a saucepan.

Reserve pasta water - Before draining your cooked pasta, reserve ½ cup of the pasta water and set aside for later. We'll use this to combine with our pesto sauce, which will emulsify with the starchy pasta water to create a 'creamy' sauce.

Toss pasta until creamy - After adding your pasta water and remaining ingredients, continue stirring and tossing pasta until the sauce looks creamy and coats your pasta all over.

Serve warm or chilled - Pesto chicken pasta is versatile and can be served warm immediately after cooking, or chilled, like a picnic pasta salad. It makes a great cold lunch and is easy to meal prep for the week.

Storage

Leftovers will keep for 3 to 4 days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.

Cooked pasta doesn't freeze and thaw well, so I don't recommend freezing this recipe.

Frequently asked questions

Close up of pesto chicken pasta with sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl.
What pasta shape is best for this recipe?

I'd recommend any medium shaped pasta, like bow ties/farfalle, penne, or even macaroni. Long pasta like spaghetti or fettuccine also make a great choice.

Can I use fresh pesto?

Yes, store bought or fresh homemade pesto works in this recipe.

What else can I add to this?

Add a handful of baby spinach, frozen peas, or canned corn to the pot along with the chicken. A can of drained and rinsed cannellini beans can add bulk and fiber to the recipe.

What can I serve with pesto chicken pasta?

Cheesy garlic bread makes a great addition to this recipe. I like to keep extra in the freezer for a quick dinner side dish.

Recommended

  • Tortellini and spinach tossed in basil pesto in a white bowl.
    Pesto Tortellini
  • A pasta serving spoon pulling a serving of spaghetti aglio e olio out of a pan.
    Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
  • Pesto mozzarella chicken with marinara sauce in a large baking dish.
    Pesto Mozzarella Chicken
  • Two bacon spinach stuffed chicken breasts on a serving plate.
    Bacon and Spinach Stuffed Chicken

📖 Recipe

Bow tie pasta coated in a basil pesto sauce.
Pin Print Rate
4.80 from 15 reviews

Pesto Chicken Pasta

Pesto chicken pasta is an easy, 20 minute meal that's made with just five shelf-stable ingredients. Bow tie pasta and chicken are coated in a rich and flavorful pesto sauce with sun-dried tomatoes.
Cook Time20 minutes minutes
Total Time20 minutes minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 490kcal
Author: Heather

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces dry pasta
  • ¼ cup pesto
  • 4 ounces julienne-cut sun-dried tomatoes in oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 12 ounces canned chicken, drained
  • salt and pepper, to taste
Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

  • Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente pasta. Before draining, reserve ½ cup of pasta water for a later step.
  • In a pot over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes, then add sun-dried tomatoes, pesto, and minced garlic. Stir and cook for about 1 minute.
  • Add cooked pasta, pasta water, and chicken. Toss until ingredients are evenly combined. Cook for another 1-2 minutes or until ingredients are heated through.
  • Remove from heat, add salt and pepper as desired, and serve.

Equipment Recommendations

  • SS 3-Quart Saucepan
  • Red Spoonula Set
  • Zwilling Pro Chef's Knife
  • 9" Fine Mesh Strainer

Notes

  • For whole sun-dried tomatoes - Give your whole tomatoes a chop before adding to the recipe. 
  • Canned chicken alternatives: canned tuna, freshly cooked chicken, shredded rotisserie chicken, or a can of drained and rinsed cannellini beans. 
  • Garlic: 2 garlic cloves can be substituted with ½ teaspoon of garlic powder. 
  • Add veggies: Add a large handful of baby spinach when adding pasta and chicken to the pot. Top with grated parmesan cheese before serving.
  • Storage: Leftovers will keep for 3 to 4 days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator. Cooked pasta doesn't freeze and thaw well, so I don't recommend freezing this recipe.

Nutrition Estimate

Calories: 490kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 634mg | Potassium: 706mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 828IU | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 3mg
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American

More Easy Meals

  • A pan of tortellini, sausage, and vegetables being scooped with a wooden spatula.
    Italian Sausage Tortellini
  • Two plates of pasta with sliced chicken breast laid on top.
    Bruschetta Chicken Pasta
  • A casserole of stuffed pasta with cream sauce.
    Tuscan Stuffed Shells
  • A casserole dish of beef stuffed shells.
    Beef Stuffed Shells

Share this post:

Reader Interactions

Comments

    4.80 from 15 votes (13 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. Vonnie V Happy

    March 12, 2025 at 6:00 pm

    Hi Heather,
    This is the second time I have made this recipe. The first time it was with the dried tomatoes; it wasn't bad, but I said I would probably not make again. This time I decided to try again, but I didn't have the dried tomatoes. Instead I decided to use a can of Rotel tomatoes with habeneras which made it spicy and a little juicy. It was delicious for my sister and me. Will make again this way.

    Reply
  2. Abby

    February 05, 2025 at 9:41 am

    We didn't love it, but it wasn't bad. Probably won't make again. I think the tomatoes should have been chopped to bite-size pieces in the prep stage.

    Reply
    • Heather

      February 05, 2025 at 9:59 am

      Hi Abby, you can definitely cut the julienne-cut even further if you prefer smaller pieces. If you're using full-size sun-dried tomatoes I'd definitely recommend giving them a chop beforehand. I'll add this as a note in the recipe card to help future readers.

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

Heather of The Toasty Kitchen

Hi, I'm Heather!

I love cooking with simple, everyday ingredients and want to help you make homemade meals with ease.

Read more

Reader favorites

  • A metal fork in a bowl of cheesy rice.
    Cheesy Rice
  • Whipped buttercream frosting recipe.
    Whipped Buttercream Frosting
  • Beef roast in a large slow cooker.
    Slow Cooker Beef Roast with Potatoes and Carrots
  • Pouring gravy over a bowl of mashed potatoes.
    How To Make Gravy Without Drippings

Parties & Potlucks

  • Two glasses of punch.
    Spring Party Punch
  • A mint chocolate chip mini cheesecake unwrapped on a cutting board.
    Mint Chocolate Chip Mini Cheesecakes
  • A stack of birthday cake rice krispies treats.
    Birthday Cake Rice Krispies Treats
  • A stack of birthday cookie bars.
    Birthday Cookie Bars

Footer

featured on:

decorative image of website logos.

Explore

  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Subscribe

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Image Copyright
  • Contact

Copyright © 2025 The Toasty Kitchen®

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




Let us know what you thought of this recipe:

This worked exactly as written, thanks!
My family loved this!
Thank you for sharing this recipe

Or write in your own words:

A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.