Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta

 Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta is a great choice for a simple weeknight dinner.  The recipe uses basic everyday ingredients and is perfect for family meals.  You can use homemade or store-bought basil pesto.

Ingredients

Roasted Tomatoes

• 10 oz cherry tomatoes (sliced in half)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic minced

Chicken Pesto Pasta

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1.5 lb chicken breast (2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts)
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon paprika
• 8 oz pasta (bow-tie, penne, or fusilli)
• ¼ cup basil pesto
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup pine nuts (optional)

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 400 F. Toss cherry tomatoes, sliced in half, with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and minced garlic. Spread in a casserole dish. Roast for about 20 minutes while you prepare the pasta.
• Prepare the chicken. This recipe uses 1.5 lb of chicken breasts which usually means 2 large chicken breasts. Make sure to use thinly sliced chicken breasts. Slice each chicken breast in half horizontally. Season them with salt, pepper, and paprika.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium-high heat in a large skillet until hot. Add chicken and cook for about 5 minutes per each side until it's cooked through. Remove chicken to a plate. Slice it thinly.
• Bring a pot of water to boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain.
• Add cooked and drained pasta, basil pesto, and cream to the same skillet that you used to sear chicken. Stir gently and bring to simmer to coat pasta with sauce.
• Top with sliced cooked chicken, roasted tomatoes and pine nuts (optional). Season with extra salt and pepper or add crushed red pepper flakes, if desired.