Chicken pesto pasta

Step aside spag bol — Australian-Iranian boxer Tina Rahimi's creamy, cheesy and garlicky chicken pesto pasta is here to give you a run for your money as one of Australia’s most popular pasta meals. Using storebought pesto makes putting this penne dish together a breeze.

Credit: Jiwon Kim

• serves

  4

• prep

  5 minutes

• cook

  15 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 500 g chicken breast, cut into thin strips
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 tsp all-purpose seasoning
• 375 g penne
• 1 tbsp butter
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• ¼ cup thinly sliced spring onion, plus extra to serve
• 1 jar storebought pesto
• 600 ml thickened cream
• 1 tsp chicken stock powder
• 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus extra to serve
• 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts, plus extra to serve
• Fresh basil leaves, to serve

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Once hot, add the chicken, a generous pinch of salt and pepper and the all-purpose seasoning. Cook, tossing occasionally until browned.
2. Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water.
3. Add the butter to the pan with the chicken, followed by the garlic and spring onion. Cook for 1 minute, or until fragrant, then stir through the pesto. Cook for 1 minute, then add the cream and chicken stock powder. Once warmed through, add the drained pasta, 1 cup reserved pasta water, parmesan cheese and pine nuts. Toss well to coat the pasta, then season to taste with salt and black pepper.
4. Divide the chicken pesto pasta between bowls and sprinkle with extra spring onion, pine nuts, parmesan cheese and fresh sprigs of basil.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.