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I love this Pesto Pasta recipe so much. There’s something so satisfying about a nice big bowl of pasta that ALSO hits my ~protein, carb, veg~ balanced meal requirements. Don’t get me wrong – I love a cacio e pepe or a nice crab pasta, but something about a one pot(ish) meal on a weekday that hits my balanced weeknight dinner checklist is a winner in my dinner game.
Table of Contents
Ingredient & Prep notes
- Try to get a high quality pesto. This is what carries the flavor throughout the whole dish. You can make a homemade version that you can keep stored in the freezer, or purchase a nice pesto at the grocery store (try the refrigerated section ones vs the jarred pestos).
- You can use any pasta that you want, but I recommend using a short pasta so that it eats well with the small pieces of chicken, zucchini and mushrooms.
- I’ve used this with both fresh pasta (from the refrigerated section), as well as dry pasta. Note the cooking times on the package, but otherwise, the recipe stays the same.
- I quarter the mushrooms to get a “meaty” bite in the pasta. I usually thinly slice and brown the mushrooms, but I actually really liked this quarter prep. I added them to the pan after the chicken turned slightly brown on one side. If you’re vegetarian, you can skip the chicken and just use mushrooms. Top with some burrata at the end if you want a little something extra.
- I usually always cook chicken and mushrooms on medium high heat. If your pan starts to feel dry and HOT (this happened to me), feel free to add 1/2 cup of water. Alternatively, you can also add 1 more tablespoon of oil if you prefer.
- Add the zucchini after you’ve cooked for the mushrooms for ~ 5 minutes. Add a pinch of salt to the zucchini when you add it, and cook for just 3 minutes before adding the pasta. The heat will continue cooking the zucchini and you want to be careful not to overcook the zucchini (it turns mushy).
- If you want to meal prep this salad, this actually reheats really well! No particular notes – just use a high quality chicken so it doesn’t taste rubbery the next day.
Equipment needed
- 1 pan for the chicken, mushroom, zucchini mix + to finish everything together
- 1 pot to cook the pasta
Other great recipes:
- Herby Chicken Pasta Salad
- Creamy Lemon, Garlic, and Herb Crab Pasta
- Spring Pasta with Peas, Mint, and Burrata
Recipe
30 min Pesto Pasta with chicken, zucchini, and mushrooms
I love this Pesto Pasta recipe so much. There’s something so satisfying about a nice big bowl of pasta that ALSO hits my ~protein, carb, veg~ balanced meal requirements.
Equipment
- 1 pot
- 1 Pan
Ingredients
- 2 zucchini, cut into 1” long spears
- 6 ounces mushrooms, quartered
- 10 ounces boneless skinless chicken thighs
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Black pepper
- ⅓ cup of pesto, homemade or store bought is fine
- 6 ounces dry pasta, or about 8 ounces fresh pasta
- 1 cup pasta water
- Kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water up to a boil.
- Prep the vegetables – wash the zucchini then trim the ends off. Cut the zucchini in half (⅓ if it’s really large), and then cut each chunk in half lengthwise. Then cut each half into thirds, creating spears. Set this aside in a bowl. Use a damp paper towel to wipe off the excess dirt on the mushrooms. Quarter the mushrooms and set aside. Mince the garlic and add this to a mixing bowl (for the chicken).2 zucchini, 6 ounces mushrooms, 1 clove garlic
- Cut the chicken thighs into 1” pieces. Add this to the bowl with the minced garlic. Add ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, black pepper, and a tablespoon of oil. Mix well.10 ounces boneless skinless chicken thighs, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, Black pepper
- Once the water is boiling, add a tablespoon of salt and add the pasta. Cook according to package directions, until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water.6 ounces dry pasta
- Heat another pan on medium high heat. Add a tablespoon of neutral oil and the cubed chicken. Cook for 3 minutes, then stir and add the quartered mushrooms. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, and add ½ cup of pasta water or chicken broth if the pan looks a bit dry. After 5 minutes, add the speared zucchini and a pinch of salt. Give everything a mix, then add the pasta, the remaining ½ cup of pasta water, and the pesto. Give everything a mix, taste, adjust with more salt as desired, and enjoy!⅓ cup of pesto, 1 cup pasta water, Kosher salt to taste
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