Name: Creamy Pesto Chicken Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Caribbean
Ingredients: 4 Boneless chicken breasts or thighs; 2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter; 3 cloves Garlic - minced; 400 grams Penne Pasta; 300 ml Chicken Broth; 200 ml Soy Milk; 200 ml Silken Soft Tofu; 3 ounces Basil Pesto; 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese - grated; 1 pint Cherry tomatoes sliced in half; 1 cup Kale - chopped; Salt & Black Pepper

Front view of Creamy Pesto Chicken in a plate with salad on the back

Many of us are familiar with the quick and easy pasta and seasonings in a box where you add tuna, chicken, or ground beef to create a meal. While these options are made for people with busy lives, we are here to help you see that you don’t have to sacrifice taste to save time. Our easy-to-follow Creamy Pesto Chicken is a great one-pot meal that’s delicious and ready in less than 30 min. And unlike the store-bought box version, it’s more nutritious because we use fresh herbs, seasonings, and vegetables with no preservatives or MSG.

Author: Rachael Ottier Hart

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Total Time

35 mins

Serves

Ingredients

4 Boneless chicken breasts or thighs
2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
3 cloves Garlic - minced
400 grams Penne Pasta
300 ml Chicken Broth
200 ml Soy Milk
200 ml Silken Soft Tofu
3 ounces Basil Pesto
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese - grated
1 pint Cherry tomatoes sliced in half
1 cup Kale - chopped
Salt & Black Pepper

Instructions

Slice the chicken into bite-size chunks, season with salt, black pepper, and garlic, and then set aside in a container.

Add the butter and bring it to medium heat using a large deep skillet. Once hot, add the seasoned chicken and sauté for 10-15 min until cooked through and golden brown.

Add the chicken broth to the skillet Increase the heat to medium-high. Then, once the liquid starts to boil, stir in the pasta.

Turn the heat down to medium-low, cover, and let cook for 8-10 minutes or until the pasta is tender and most of the broth has been absorbed. Stir occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

While the pasta is cooking, use a high-powered blender to mix the soy milk and tofu into a smooth cream, add more milk if necessary.

Once the pasta is mostly cooked, mix in the cream mixture, pesto, and Parmesan cheese until everything is combined.

Mix the cherry tomato halves and the kale and cook until the kale is wilted.

Season with salt and black pepper, remove from the heat, and serve warm in serving plates.