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A plate of pesto chicken broccoli pasta with a fork. A saucepan and salt and pepper cellars behind.
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📋 Pesto Chicken Broccoli Pasta

Pesto chicken broccoli pasta is a delicious healthy weeknight dinner recipe. Made with homemade pesto, the whole family will love it!
Course Dinner
Cuisine International
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 604kcal
Author Neil

Ingredients

For the Homemade Pesto: -

  • 40 g fresh basil leaves
  • 45 g lightly toasted pine nuts
  • 2 cloves garlic roughly chopped
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 100 ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 25 g grated parmesan cheese
  • Freshly ground salt and pepper

For the Pesto Chicken Broccoli Pasta: -

  • 200 g wholewheat penne pasta
  • 300 g broccoli florets cut into bitesize pieces
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 400 g chicken breasts cut into bite size chunks
  • 4 tablespoons of pesto
  • Grated Parmesan Cheese optional for garnish

Instructions

For the Homemade Pesto: -

  • If you have a food processor, blitz the basil leaves, then add the pine nuts and garlic and blitz again.
  • If you do not have a food processor, use a pestle and mortar, or sturdy bowl and the end of a rolling pin to bash the basil leaves into a pulp first, then add the pine nuts and garlic and bash them all together into a pulp.
  • Remove the ingredients into a separate bowl, add the lemon juice, oil, and the Parmesan cheese, mix all together. Season to taste*

For the Pesto Chicken Broccoli Pasta: -

  • Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions. Drain and reserve 3 -4 tablespoon of the cooking water.
  • Cook the broccoli pieces in boiling water over a medium heat for 5-6 minutes. Once cooked drain into a colander.
  • Gently heat the oil in a large pan / skillet then add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally for 8 - 10 minutes until cooked through.
  • Once chicken is cooked through stir in the broccoli, pasta then the pesto and heat through. Use the reserved cooking water to thin out the pesto so the sauce coats all the ingredients if needed.
  • Serve the pesto chicken broccoli pasta garnished with some grated Parmesan cheese.

Notes

*The recipe will make more than enough pesto which can be stored in the fridge for 5 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 604kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 46g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 23g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 392mg | Potassium: 723mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1385IU | Vitamin C: 71mg | Calcium: 142mg | Iron: 2mg