Pesto Chicken Parm Pasta

This Pesto Chicken Parm Pasta takes a classic comfort dish and gives it a vibrant, herby twist. Crispy breaded chicken cutlets are topped with mozzarella and rich pesto, then broiled until bubbly. Meanwhile, a creamy pesto sauce made with garlic, heavy cream, Parmesan, and mozzarella blankets al dente pasta. Tossed together with a bit of pasta water and extra cheese, this dish is a bold, cheesy, and basil-forward spin on a traditional chicken parm—easy to make and incredibly satisfying.

Author: These Carbs Don't Count

Category: Pasta

Cuisine: Italian

Difficulty: MEDIUM

Prep. Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Servings: 2 plates

Calories: 3,923 kcal per serving

Ingredients

½ pound - pasta
1 cup - all-purpose flour
⅛ - Salt
⅛ - Black pepper
½ teaspoon - garlic powder
2 - eggs
1 cup - breadcrumbs
2 - chicken breasts
⅛ - Canola oil
3 tablespoon - butter
1 tablespoon - olive oil
3 cloves - garlic
1 ½ cup - pesto
1 cup - heavy cream
½ teaspoon - salt
¼ teaspoon - black pepper
½ teaspoon - onion powder
½ teaspoon - garlic powder
½ cup - Parmesan cheese
½ cup - mozzarella cheese
⅛ - More mozzarella cheese
⅛ - Reserved pasta water

Instructions

Cook pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water and drain the rest.
Set up three dredging stations: seasoned flour (flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder), scrambled eggs, and breadcrumbs.
Dredge chicken in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs.
Heat canola oil in a pan over medium heat and fry chicken until golden brown on both sides. Set aside.
In another pan, melt butter with olive oil. Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant.
Stir in pesto and heavy cream. Bring to a simmer and season with salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder.
Add Parmesan and mozzarella to the sauce and stir until creamy.
Top fried chicken with a spoonful of pesto sauce and mozzarella cheese. Broil until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Toss pasta into remaining sauce with a splash of pasta water and a bit more Parmesan.
Serve the creamy pesto pasta with the crispy chicken on top. Enjoy!