This Creamy Pesto and Spinach Pasta is always a hit at my house! It’s one of those easy, comforting meals that everyone loves. You can use store-bought pesto if you’re in a hurry, or make your own if you’re feeling fancy; either way, it turns out delicious.
Here’s a little trick I love: I cook the pasta the day before and pop it in the fridge overnight. That helps create resistant starch, which keeps your blood sugar more balanced. (Plus, it makes dinner come together even faster the next day!)
You can leave out the chicken for a simple, creamy pasta dish, but I like adding it in for a bit of extra heartiness. Toss everything together, sprinkle on a little Parmesan, and you’ve got the kind of meal that feels special without any fuss.
Ingredients
2 cups fettuccine (Penne or Rigatoni is also good)
2 chicken breasts, cut in cubes
1 Tbsp. Creole seasoning
1 Tbsp. paprika
1/2 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes
1/2 onion, chopped fine
1 cup cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, sliced in half
3 cups fresh spinach
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1/3 cup pesto, fresh or store-bought
1-1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 cups chicken broth
3 oz. cream cheese
Fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
Boil the pasta 24 hours ahead of when you will need it. Store it in the refrigerator overnight.
Season the chicken with Creole seasoning, paprika, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
In a skillet, cook the chicken in butter and olive oil until done. Remove and set aside. Add the pasta to the chicken and toss. You may need to rinse the pasta with water to loosen it up.
To the same pan, add the sundried tomatoes, onion and cherry tomatoes.
Add the spinach and allow it to wilt.
Add salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and 1 tsp. Italian seasoning.
Stir in the heavy cream, garlic, cream cheese, and chicken broth. Stir until thickened.
Stir in the pesto sauce and red pepper flakes.
Stir in the Parmesan cheese.
Mix in the pasta and chicken. Toss the pasta in the sauce until it is well-coated.
To serve, garnish with fresh basil and more Parmesan cheese. Yum! Yum! Yum
If you like this recipe, you may also like the following recipes:
Creamy Pesto and Spinach Pasta
Equipment
- 1 knife
- Measuring spoons
- 1 measuring cup
- 1 large pot
- 1 large resealable bag
- 1 colander
- 1 large skillet
- tongs
- 1 whisk
- 1 Large spoon
Ingredients
- 2 cups fettuccine Penne or Rigatoni is also good
- 2 chicken breasts cut in cubes
- 1 Tbsp. Creole seasoning
- 1 Tbsp. paprika
- 1/2 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes
- 1/2 onion chopped fine
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes sliced in half
- 3 cups fresh spinach
- 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- 1/3 cup pesto fresh or store-bought
- 1-1/2 cup grated Parmesan
- 1-1/2 cups heavy cream
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1-1/2 cups chicken broth
- 3 oz. cream cheese
- Fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
- Boil the pasta 24 hours ahead of when you will need it.
- Store the pasta in the refrigerator overnight.
- Season the chicken with Creole seasoning, paprika, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
- In a skillet, cook the chicken in butter and olive oil until done.
- Remove and set aside.
- Add the pasta to the chicken and toss. You may need to rinse the pasta with water to loosen it up.
- To the same pan, add the sundried tomatoes, onion and cherry tomatoes.
- Add the spinach and allow it to wilt.
- Add salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and 1 tsp. Italian seasoning.
- Stir in the heavy cream, garlic, cream cheese, and chicken broth.
- Stir until thickened.
- Stir in the pesto sauce and red pepper flakes.
- Stir in the Parmesan cheese.
- Mix in the pasta and chicken.
- Toss the pasta in the sauce using tongs until it is well-coated.
- To serve, garnish with fresh basil and more Parmesan cheese.
