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fusilli and sliced cooked skinless chicken breast coated in a finely blended green basil-walnut pesto, with no loose nuts or garnish on a plain plate
Andre Lewis

Chicken Pesto Pasta

Make the pesto while the pasta cooks, then keep it away from a hard boil once it meets the noodles. Fresh basil loses its bright flavor when it spends too long over heat. The chicken browns separately and rests before slicing. Toss everything with a little warm pasta water so the pesto spreads in a thin coating instead of sitting in oily green clumps. Toasted walnuts make a useful small batch without needing a large bag of pine nuts, and they belong in the blended sauce rather than scattered over the plate.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 8 oz dry fusilli
  • 1 tbsp fine salt for pasta water
  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast sliced horizontally into 1/2-inch cutlets
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt for chicken and pesto, divided
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp olive oil for chicken
  • 2 packed cups fresh basil leaves
  • 1/4 cup walnuts
  • 1 small garlic clove peeled
  • 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan
  • 3 tbsp olive oil for pesto
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Method
 

  1. Cook fusilli in water with the tablespoon salt until just tender. Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining, then return pasta to the warm pot off the heat.
  2. Meanwhile, toast walnuts in a dry skillet for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, and let cool slightly. Season chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper, heat its oil in the skillet and cook for 4 to 5 minutes per side until at least 165°F.
  3. Rest chicken for 5 minutes. Pulse basil, toasted walnuts, garlic, Parmesan, pesto oil, lemon juice and remaining salt in a food processor until finely chopped and spreadable.
  4. Slice the rested chicken into strips and add to the pasta with the pesto and 1/4 cup reserved warm pasta water. Toss off the heat until evenly coated.
  5. Add more pasta water a tablespoon at a time if the pesto looks thick, then serve immediately without boiling the basil sauce.