Jamie Oliver Chicken Pesto Pasta Recipe

This delicious Jamie Oliver chicken pesto pasta is a quick and easy dish packed with vibrant flavors. With creamy pesto, tender chicken, and fresh veggies, it’s a perfect weeknight meal. Feel free to swap in your favorite pasta or greens for extra flexibility. Simple, tasty, and nutritious!

Ingredients Needed

Chicken:

• 2 x 200g (7 oz) skinless free-range chicken breasts
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 2 tablespoons rapeseed oil (canola oil)
• 4–5 cloves of garlic
• 1–2 fresh red chillies
• 8 ripe cherry tomatoes

Pasta & Pesto:

• 250g (8.8 oz) green beans
• 1 big bunch of fresh basil
• 50g (1.7 oz) blanched almonds
• 50g (1.7 oz) Parmesan cheese, plus extra to serve
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lemon
• 1 clove of garlic
• 300g (10.5 oz) fresh lasagne sheets
• 200g (7 oz) baby spinach

How To Make Chicken Pesto Pasta

1. Prepare the Chicken: On a large sheet of greaseproof paper (parchment paper), toss the chicken with sea salt, black pepper, fennel seeds, and rosemary leaves. Fold over the paper, then bash and flatten the chicken to 1.5cm (0.6 inches) thick using a rolling pin.
2. Cook the Chicken: Heat a frying pan with rapeseed oil (canola oil). Add the chicken, unpeeled garlic cloves, and halved chillies. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden and cooked through.
3. Cook the Green Beans: Line up the green beans and cut off the stalks. Put them into a large casserole pan, cover with boiling salted water, and cook for 6 minutes with the lid on.
4. Make the Pesto: Pick a few basil leaves for garnish, then place the remaining basil, almonds, Parmesan, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic into a food processor. Blitz until smooth, adding a little cooking water from the beans to loosen the mixture. Season to taste.
5. Prepare the Lasagne Sheets: Slice the lasagne sheets into random handkerchief shapes. Add them to the casserole pan with the beans and cook for about 2 minutes.
6. Finish the Chicken and Pasta: Halve or quarter the tomatoes and add them to the chicken. Give the pan a shake. Stir the spinach into the pasta pan, then drain, reserving a cup of cooking water.
7. Combine Pasta and Pesto: Return the pasta, beans, and spinach to the pan. Pour in the pesto and stir, loosening with cooking water until the mixture is silky.
8. Serve: Slice the chicken breasts in half and serve with the tomatoes and chilli spooned over the top. Grate extra Parmesan over the pasta and sprinkle with basil leaves.

Recipe Tips

• Flatten the chicken evenly: Make sure to bash the chicken to an even thickness (about 1.5cm). This ensures it cooks quickly and stays juicy.
• Don’t overcook the beans: Be careful not to overcook the green beans. They should stay bright green and tender, not mushy.
• Reserve some cooking water: Always save a little of the bean cooking water before draining. It helps loosen the pesto and makes the pasta sauce silky.
• Adjust pesto consistency: If the pesto is too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water to get the perfect creamy texture.

How To Store And Reheat Leftovers?

• Refrigerate: Let the leftover chicken pesto pasta cool to room temperature. Then, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
• Freeze: For freezing, let the pasta cool completely, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 1 month. To serve, thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
• Reheat: Heat the pasta in a pan over medium heat for about 5-7 minutes, adding a splash of water or extra olive oil to loosen it up. Stir occasionally until it’s heated through.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 serving (199g)

• Calories: 581
• Total Fat: 27.3g
• Saturated Fat: 5.4g
• Total Carbohydrate: 30.9g
• Dietary Fiber: 7.1g
• Sugars: 5.4g
• Protein: 48.6g

Try More Jamie Oliver Recipes:

• Jamie Oliver Speedy Salsa Pasta
• Jamie Oliver Chestnut Carbonara Pasta
• Jamie Oliver Christmas Carbonara Pasta
• Jamie Oliver Christmas Pasta