Chicken Pesto Pasta Recipe with Garlic Mushrooms

The sauce for this simple chicken pesto pasta recipe, made with garlic mushrooms, comes together in the time it takes to cook the pasta. Or why not swap out the chicken for green beans to make a delicious vegetarian version.

TOTAL TIME INVESTMENT: 20 MINUTES

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The Princess would happily eat pasta every night if she could. Pasta is her second most requested meal (narrowly beaten by any gnocchi recipe), and she will ask for pasta even if it is 40C outside and far to hot to boil water. I swear she was an Italian in a past life.

This chicken pesto pasta with garlic mushrooms and my creamy lemon tuna pasta are the two recipes I turn to when time is short and I am too exhausted to think. They are recipes I can make with my eyes closed and can be done in under 30 minutes.

And because I know that sometimes all you want to do at the end of a busy day is cook, not search the internet for dinner ideas, I have put together a free mini ebook with my favourite 30 minute recipes. Download your copy of the ebook now from my Resource Library simply by clicking the link below, or by requesting the password for the library at the end of this post.

Homemade vs Store-bought Pesto Sauce

Pesto is one of the classic Italian sauces.  Traditionally made with basil, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese and olive oil, pesto adds a quick and easy flavour punch to a dish. 

When basil is in season, I like to make larges batches of my homemade basil pesto sauce and freeze it in meal sized portions so I can easily make this chicken pesto pasta recipe throughout the year.

If you don’t have a freezer full of homemade pesto though, don’t fret. You can still make a big pot of my mushroom pesto pasta with a jar of good store-bought pesto. I do stress the use of the word good though.

Read the ingredients and make sure there is a high percentage of basil in the sauce. Basil should be the first ingredient on the label. If it’s not, put down the jar and select another.

Whilst a store-bought pesto will not have the same freshness of a homemade pesto sauce, being choosy about the brand you select means that your dinner will still be delicious.

Ingredient Substitutions for Chicken Pesto Pasta with Mushrooms

Even though the recipe for this chicken pesto pasta is delicious as written, I do like to play with it a bit according to the ingredients I have on hand.  To make this dish your own, try the following substitutes:

1. Replace homemade pesto with a good commercial pesto.  I consider pesto to be a store-cupboard staple, and always have some on hand for quick meals.  Don’t think you are restricted to basil pesto though. I have also made this chicken pesto pasta recipe with leftover spicy kale pesto or spinach pesto. Use your favourite pesto, whatever it may be.
2. Replace the fresh chicken breast with sliced smoked chicken breast for a delicious twist to the basic recipe.
3. I have specified fresh mushrooms in the recipe below, but I usually make this chicken pesto pasta with a cup of frozen garlic mushrooms instead.  Using the pre-made frozen garlic mushrooms reduces the cooking time, and adds additional flavour to the pasta.
4. I often make a vegetarian version of this pesto pasta recipe by replacing the chicken with green beans.  See the recipe below for additional instructions for this option.
5. To make a creamy chicken pesto pasta option, simply stir 1/3 cup of heavy cream and 2 Tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese into the cooked mushrooms prior to adding the pasta.
6. Use a good gluten free pasta to make this dish gluten free.  If you do need a gluten free version and are using commercial pesto it is important to ensure that the pesto is also free from gluten.

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Tips and Tricks For A Delicious Chicken Mushroom Pesto Pasta

It might surprise you to know that this chicken pesto pasta recipe is one of my favourite storecupboard recipes. Although it is packed with fresh ingredients, both the pesto and the garlic mushrooms can be frozen, making it an easy dish to make on the spur of the moment.

I leave you with a few final tips that I have discovered whilst making this recipe over the years:

• I have specified fresh mushrooms in the recipe as I know this is what most people will have access too. I, however, always make this chicken pesto pasta recipe with my frozen garlic mushrooms as they are easy to prepare in advance and such a time saver.
• If you haven’t any garlic mushrooms in the freezer already, double the mushroom part of the recipe below, then scoop out half of the cooked mushrooms before adding the pesto to the fry pan. Freeze the excess mushrooms to have a batch ready for the next time you cook mushroom pesto pasta (and there will be a next time!).
• Pull the pesto and mushrooms out of the freezer in the morning (if you remember) so they are already defrosted by the time you are ready to cook your chicken pesto pasta.
• To quickly defrost both the mushrooms and the pesto (in case you forget to do so in advance), fill the sink with warm water and plunge your (airtight) containers of pesto and garlic mushrooms into the sink for 15 – 30 minutes.
• To make a vegetarian version of pesto pasta with mushrooms, omit the chicken from the recipe and add 200g (2 cups) of chopped green beans to the pasta cooking water for the last two minutes of the pasta coking time. Drain the beans with the pasta, and add the mixed beans and pasta to the fry pan. Proceed as detailed in the recipe below.
• Tip the finished pesto pasta into a large greased baking dish, scatter over a large handful of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and bake in the oven at 180C for 15 – 20 minutes, or until the cheese browns, to create a delicious pesto pasta bake.

Other 30 Minute Recipes You Might Like

Good 30 minute recipes that work are an important part of anybody’s cooking repertoire, and are particularly important on those days that you really don’t feel like cooking.

Some of my favourite 30 minute recipes, ones I pull out regularly when I can’t be bothered or don’t have much time to cook, are:

• Easy Fried Rice
• Gnocchi with Chorizo & Creamy Spinach
• Asparagus & Goats Cheese Frittata
• Zucchini, Feta & Quinoa Fritters
• Baked Italian Meatballs with Spaghetti.

Enjoy!

Made this recipe? Tell me how it went in the comments below.
And if you loved it, please don’t forget to rate it.

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5 from 2 votes

30 Minute Chicken Pesto Pasta with Mushrooms

A quick and easy meal you can make with your eyes closed. With a few staples on hand, dinner can be ready in the time it takes to cook the pasta.

Course Appetiser/Main Meal

Cuisine Italian

Keyword chicken pesto pasta recipe, mushroom pesto pasta, pesto pasta with mushrooms

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 1328kcal

Author Tania @ The Cook’s Pyjamas

Ingredients

• 450 g (5 cups) dried pasta
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil (3 Tbsp if using fresh mushrooms)
• 1 clove garlic crushed
• 1 chicken breast thinly sliced
• 200 g (3 cups) sliced fresh mushrooms (or 1 cup Freezer Ready Garlic Mushrooms)
• 250 ml (1 cup) pesto homemade or purchased
• Salt & pepper
• 3 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese to serve

Instructions

• Cook the pasta according to packet instructions.
• Whilst the pasta is cooking, warm a large fry pan over a medium – high heat.

If using fresh mushrooms

• Heat 2 Tablespoons of olive oil in the fry pan.
• Add the garlic, and sauté for one minute.
• Add the mushrooms.
• Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms have softened and the moisture has evaporated.
• Remove the mushrooms from the pan and set aside.
• Heat a further Tablespoon of oil in the fry pan.
• Add the thinly sliced chicken breast.
• Cook for 3 -4 minutes, or until the chicken is just cooked.
• Add the mushrooms back to the pan, then continue as below.

If using Freezer Ready Garlic Mushrooms

• Heat 2 Tablespoons of olive oil in the frypan.
• Add the garlic, and sauté for one minute.
• Add the thinly sliced chicken breast.
• Cook for 3 -4 minutes, or until the chicken is just cooked.
• Add the garlic mushrooms to the pan.
• Cook for 1 – 2 minutes to allow the mushrooms to heat through.
• Continue as below.

To finish the recipe

• Drain the pasta, reserving a small amount of the cooking water.
• Place the drained pasta into the fry pan.
• Add the pesto to the fry pan.
• Season well with salt & pepper.
• Stir thoroughly to ensure the chicken and mushrooms are well stirred through the pasta, and the pasta is well covered with pesto.
• Add a little cooking water if the pasta seems dry.
• Serve immediately with a good grating of Parmesan cheese.

Notes

1. To make a vegetarian version, omit the chicken and add 200g (2 cups) of chopped green beans to the pasta cooking water for the last two minutes. Drain the pasta and add the beans and pasta to the fry pan. Proceed as detailed above.
2. Nutritional information is provided for the recipe made with fresh mushrooms.

Nutrition

Calories: 1328kcal | Carbohydrates: 107.2g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 84.4g | Cholesterol: 48.1mg | Sodium: 1351.8mg | Sugar: 5.7g | Vitamin A: 2600IU | Vitamin C: 41.3mg

Update notes:  This post was originally published on 21st March 2016. It was updated on 30th April 2018 to include links to my own homemade basil pesto sauce, and to update the ingredient substitutions. It was updated again and republished on 12th August 2019. The latest update added a Table of Contents, comparisons between homemade & commercial pesto, additional tips to ensure recipe success and links to other 30 minute meals.