Description
Quick and easy pesto pasta paired with golden, crunchy Parmesan-coated chicken for a delicious weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (split or pounded to even thickness)
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (freshly grated preferred)
- ½ cup breadcrumbs (panko for extra crunch)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (for frying)
- 12 oz pasta (spaghetti, penne, or your favorite shape)
- ½ cup basil pesto (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (optional)
- Fresh basil leaves (optional, for garnish)
- Extra Parmesan cheese (for grating on top)
Instructions
- Pat the chicken dry. Slice each breast in half horizontally or pound to about ½ inch thick.
- Mix grated Parmesan, panko breadcrumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl.
- Press each chicken piece into the cheese-breadcrumb mix so it sticks and forms a crust.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry chicken for 3–4 minutes per side, or until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and let rest a few minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente.
- Reserve ½ cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
- Return hot pasta to the pot. Stir in the pesto and a splash of reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce. Add lemon juice if using. Toss until pasta is evenly coated.
- Slice the rested chicken into strips.
- Plate the pesto pasta and top with sliced crispy Parmesan chicken.
- Sprinkle extra Parmesan and add fresh basil leaves for garnish.
Notes
For best texture, serve immediately. To keep chicken crispy, serve on top of the pasta rather than mixing.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying and Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 65g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 85mg