Description
This Creamy Chicken and Corn Pasta is a comforting and flavorful dish featuring tender chicken pieces, sweet corn, al dente pasta, and a rich creamy pesto sauce with parmesan cheese. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner, it's packed with delicious Italian-seasoned chicken and fresh ingredients for a satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Chicken
- 10 ounces uncooked pasta casarecce, cavatappi, rotini, or penne
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch chunks
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Vegetables and Sauce
- 1/2 cup diced shallots
- 2 cups corn kernels fresh or frozen (defrosted)
- 1/3 cup pesto
- 1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish
- 1/4 cup heavy cream or half and half
- Basil leaves for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Add the pasta into a pot of boiling salted water and cook until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Season Chicken: Coat the chicken chunks with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, smoked paprika, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper evenly.
- Sear Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Swirl the skillet to coat the bottom, then add the chicken in a single layer. Cook without moving for 3 minutes to develop a golden crust, then flip and cook until fully cooked through. Remove chicken onto a plate.
- Sauté Shallots and Corn: Reduce heat to medium, add diced shallots and corn to the skillet, sauté for 2-3 minutes until tender.
- Combine Ingredients: Return the cooked chicken to the skillet along with the cooked pasta and pesto. Stir together until everything is evenly coated in the pesto sauce.
- Add Cream and Cheese: Pour in the heavy cream and sprinkle shredded parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese melts and the mixture is warmed through. Adjust seasoning with salt or a splash of cream as needed.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish with additional parmesan cheese and basil leaves if desired. Serve immediately for best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Use any short pasta you prefer such as penne, rotini, or casarecce to hold the sauce well.
- For a lighter option, substitute heavy cream with half and half as suggested or a dairy-free cream alternative.
- Frozen corn should be fully defrosted before cooking for even texture.
- If fresh basil is unavailable, dried basil or parsley can be used for garnish.
- Adjust seasoning at the end carefully since parmesan adds saltiness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
