Chicken Pesto Pasta

Name: Chicken Pesto Pasta
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 10 servings
Cuisine: Indonesian
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil; 1 ¼ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into bite-sized pieces); ½ teaspoon kosher salt; ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper; 1 pound whole wheat pasta (penne rigate, rigatoni, fusilli, or similarly shaped pasta); 1 (6.35-ounce) jar basil pesto; 1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt; 1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach (thawed with as much of the liquid squeezed out as possible.); 2 pints cherry tomatoes; ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes; 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (or a blend of mozzarella and provolone); ¼ cup tightly packed fresh basil leaves (roughly chopped, divided); ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

This creamy chicken pesto pasta bake with tomatoes is a delicious weeknight dinner that's lightened up with a few healthy swaps!

⏱️ 50 min 🔪 Prep: 10 min 🔥 Cook: 40 min 📊 Medium 👁️ 2 views

👨‍🍳 Start Cooking

Foto: Well Plated

Ingredients

10 servings

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 ¼ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into bite-sized pieces)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pound whole wheat pasta (penne rigate, rigatoni, fusilli, or similarly shaped pasta)
1 (6.35-ounce) jar basil pesto
1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach (thawed with as much of the liquid squeezed out as possible.)
2 pints cherry tomatoes
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (or a blend of mozzarella and provolone)
¼ cup tightly packed fresh basil leaves (roughly chopped, divided)
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Steps

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, add the diced chicken. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté the chicken until golden on all sides and fully cooked through, about 4 minutes. Remove to a plate and set aside.
In a large stockpot of boiling, generously salted water, cook the pasta to al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking liquid, then drain. Return pasta to the stockpot.
While the pasta cooks, in a small bowl, whisk together the pesto and Greek yogurt until evenly combined.
Stir in the spinach, breaking it up as needed and stirring until evenly combined.
To the stockpot with the pasta, add the pesto/Greek yogurt mixture. Gently stir to coat the noodles in the pesto mixture. If the sauce is too thick, splash in some of the pasta water. It should be a little saucy.
Add the cooked chicken, cherry tomatoes, and red pepper flakes. Gently toss to combine.
Pour half of the pasta into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with 1/2 cup mozzarella and half of the basil. Layer the remaining half of the pasta over the top, spreading it into an even layer. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is melted and just barely starts to turn golden. Remove and sprinkle immediately with the Parmesan cheese and fresh basil. Serve warm.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Macronutrients

Calories30015% DV

*DV = Daily Value based on a 2,000 calorie diet

💰 Cost Estimate

Total Ingredients $1.26

Per Serving $0.13/serving

🏠 Save ~$2.52 compared to buying!

📋 Price Breakdown (15% ingredients detected)

Ingredient	Amount	Unit Price	Subtotal
extra-virgin olive oil	1 tablespoon	-	-
boneless	1.25 pounds	-	-
kosher salt	0.5 teaspoon	-	-
ground black pepper	0.25 teaspoon	-	-
whole wheat pasta	1 pound	-	-
	1	-	-
nonfat plain Greek yogurt	1 cup	$0.94/200g	$1.11
	1	-	-
pints cherry tomatoes	2	$0.75/kg	$0.15
red pepper flakes	0.25 teaspoon	-	-
shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese	1 cup	-	-
tightly packed fresh basil leaves	0.25 cup	-	-
freshly grated Parmesan cheese	0.25 cup	-	-