Pesto Chicken Pasta With Cherry Tomatoes

Jump to Recipe

This pesto chicken pasta with cherry tomatoes is light, fresh, filling, and balanced. It's a great easy weeknight meal that you can throw together quickly and packed with tons of pesto flavor.

Jump to:

Why You’ll Love This Easy Pesto Pasta Recipe

This pesto pasta dish is the perfect meal for a busy weeknight with the best flavor.
It's a balanced meal with protein, fat, carbs, and veggies.
It warms up well the next day for a great meal prep option.
You can easily make this recipe dairy and gluten free.

Ingredient Notes

Ingredients for pesto pasta with tomatoes

Pasta of choice- you can use any type of pasta, but we recommend rotini, cavatappi, or bowtie pasta. Be sure to save a little pasta water for the sauce. Al dente pasta is key here!
Olive oil
Minced garlic
Fresh cherry or grape tomatoes, Sliced mushrooms, Spinach- we love to add fresh veggies to our dish. You can swap the veggies for other veggies if you're not a fan! Diced onion or zucchini also works well.
Rotisserie chicken- rotisserie chicken makes this recipe even easier and faster. You can also use any leftover cooked chicken breast you have on hand.
Fresh pesto- use any pesto of choice! Most grocery stores offer a refrigerated fresh pesto which typically has better flavor than shelf-stable pesto. Traditional homemade basil pesto with pine nuts would be delicious here.
Half and half- half & half creates a creamy pesto sauce. You could substitute this with pasta water or light coconut milk here for a dairy-free version.
Lemon juice
Salt & pepper
Fresh shredded parmesan cheese- for a dairy-free version, try nutritional yeast or leave it out all together.

See the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and measurements.

Equipment You’ll Need

Large pot
Large skillet
Measuring cups & spoons
Cutting board & knife

Step by Step Directions

For the full recipe instructions, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Bring a large pot of water to boil and be sure to salt the water. Cook the pasta al dente, according to package directions, and be sure to reserve ¼ cup of the pasta water for the sauce.

Add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic, tomatoes, and mushrooms. Cook for 4-5 minutes, until the veggies are tender.

Pesto pasta with tomatoes and chicken in a pan

Add the chicken, spinach, and pasta and stir to combine. Add the pesto, half & half, lemon juice, salt, and pepper and stir. At this point, you can add a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water until the sauce reaches your desired consistency. If you like the consistency as is, feel free to skip the pasta water. Turn the heat to low and let the pasta simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Next, add the parmesan and stir. Add more parmesan, salt, and pepper to taste when serving.

Tips & Variations

We like to serve the tomato pesto pasta with a fresh green salad.
If you prefer a little kick, feel free to add red pepper flakes. Balsamic vinegar reduction is also delicious drizzled on top!
If you're looking for a yummy homemade pesto that's dairy-free, try our recipe.

FAQ

How should I store leftovers?

Store any leftovers in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.

Is it (GF/DF/V/VG)?

To make this dish gluten-free, use gluten-free pasta noodles. To make this dish dairy-free, use a dairy-free pesto (we love our homemade dairy-free pesto or Trader Joe's Kale Cashew Pesto), omit the parmesan or swap for nutritional yeast, and omit the half & half or use coconut milk.

If you like this simple recipe, check out a few of our other easy pasta recipes:

If you make this chicken pesto pasta, please let us know how it turns out in the comments below and/or rate the recipe! Don’t forget to tag us on Instagram to show us your finished product—it makes our day every time we see you trying the recipes we love!