10 Minute Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta

Ingredients

Scaled for your household (4 portions) · original serves 4

• Dried pasta500 g
  spiral or penne
• Olive oil1 tbsp
• Chicken breast300 g
  finely sliced
• Garlic cloves1 tbsp
  grated
• Basil pesto160 g
  store-bought or homemade
• Cooking cream250 ml
• Frozen mixed veg375 g
  vegetable mix
• Parmesan50 g
  plus extra to serve
• Salt½ tsp
• Fresh chilli (optional)1
  to serve

Method

1. 1

   Cook the pasta. Cook the pasta for 1 minute less than the packet time — it finishes cooking in the sauce. Drain.

2. 2

   Seal the chicken. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-based frying pan over medium–high heat. Add the sliced chicken and cook for 1–2 minutes until sealed on the outside (it will still be raw in the centre).

   2 min
3. 3

   Add the garlic. Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant.

4. 4

   Simmer covered. Add the pesto, cream and vegetables, put the lid on and cook for 2–4 minutes for fresh vegetables or 4–6 minutes for frozen.

   6 min
5. 5

   Combine. Take the pan off the heat, stir through the pasta and parmesan, and season with salt to taste.

6. 6

   Serve. Sprinkle with extra parmesan, and fresh chilli if using.