Ingredients:

  • 1 lb chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 lb penne or fusilli pasta
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
  • 3/4 cup basil pesto
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 2 cups fresh baby spinach
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Instructions:

  1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until just al dente. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water.
  2. Pat the chicken cubes dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken in a single layer until golden brown on all sides, about 5–7 minutes, then remove and set aside.
  3. In the same skillet, add the halved cherry tomatoes and sauté for 2 minutes until they begin to soften.
  4. Lower the heat to medium-low and stir in the heavy cream and basil pesto. Once the sauce begins to simmer gently, stir in the baby spinach until wilted.
  5. Fold the cooked pasta and seared chicken back into the pan, tossing continuously. If the sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water one tablespoon at a time until the texture is velvety.
  6. Remove from heat and finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.