The most delicious chicken penne pasta recipe for you today! This Pesto Parmesan Crispy Chicken Penne makes the perfect weeknight dinner any night of the week! It’s my very favorite chicken pasta dish.
Chicken Penne Pasta
You are in for quite the treat with my favorite chicken penne pasta recipe! This Pesto Parmesan Crispy Chicken Penne is the perfect weeknight dinner. It’s very simple to make with so much flavor. Wait until you enjoy this crispy chicken. So good!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It makes the perfect quick fix weeknight dinner.
- The kids as well as adults love this tasty chicken dinner.
- This easy chicken dinner makes great leftovers too!
Try my Chicken Caprese Pasta Bake too! Follow Picky Palate on Instagram for daily recipe inspiration!
What You’ll Need
Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make chicken penne pasta at home. See the recipe card located at the bottom of the post for full instructions and details.
- penne pasta– Penne works great in the recipe, any similar sized pasta works great too.
- extra virgin olive oil– You’ll use olive oil to cook the chicken.
- boneless skinless chicken thighs– Find chicken thighs in the meat department near the chicken breast. Make sure you get boneless skinless.
- kosher salt– Kosher salt is a coarse salt commonly used in cooking and baking.
- freshly cracked black pepper– For best tasting results use freshly cracked black pepper.
- prepared pesto– Find prepared pesto in the pasta isle near the pasta sauces.
- Parmesan cheese– Use a fresh parmesan cheese for best tasting results. The shaved or shredded Parmesan is great.
How To Make Chicken Penne Pasta
Cook Pasta. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
Cook Chicken In Hot Skillet. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper then place into hot skillet to brown/crisp both sides. Cook until centers are no longer pink and outer edges are crisp.
Add Pasta and Pesto To Chicken. Add cooked pasta to skillet and stir in prepared pesto until warmed. Reduce heat to low and top with Parmesan cheese before serving.
Can I Use Other Chicken Parts?
You can use other chicken parts if desired. I’ve used chicken breast and tenders for this recipe. You’ll need to adjust the time accordingly, especially for the breasts.
Top with fresh parmesan cheese and dinner is done!
Tips For Making Chicken Pesto Pasta
- Make sure your pan is nice and hot before adding chicken to brown/crisp. A hot pan will give you the nice crust you are looking for.
- Get a nice Parmesan Cheese to top your pasta. You’ll notice many varieties. The shaved Parmesan is great for this dish.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for no more than 3 days.
How To Serve Easy Penne Pasta Dinner
Garlic bread always goes nicely with pasta. I almost always serve this meal with a simple green salad as well.
How To Store Leftovers
Store any leftover pasta and chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
How To Heat Up Leftovers.
Place chilled pasta into a heat proof bowl, loosely covered with plastic wrap. Microwave for 60-90 seconds until hot. Stir to combine and serve.
Try More Delicious Pasta Recipes
Pesto Parmesan Crispy Chicken Penne
Equipment
- Stove
- Dutch Oven or large pot
- colander
- wooden mixing spoon
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 12 ounces dry penne noodles
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 6.3 oz jar or 1 cup prepared pesto
- 1 cup parmesan shaved or grated
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper then place into hot skillet to brown/crisp both sides. Cook until centers are no longer pink and outer edges are crisp. Add cooked pasta to skillet and stir in prepared pesto until warmed. Reduce heat to low and top with Parmesan cheese before serving.