Pesto Egg Chicken Pasta (Printable)

Tender chicken and creamy pesto-egg sauce create a vibrant, protein-packed pasta meal with Parmesan and basil.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 10.5 oz spaghetti or linguine
02 - Salt, to season pasta water

→ Chicken

03 - 2 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 10.5 oz), cut into bite-sized strips
04 - 1 tbsp olive oil
05 - 1/2 tsp sea salt
06 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ Pesto Egg Sauce

07 - 3 tbsp basil pesto (store-bought or homemade)
08 - 4 large eggs
09 - 2 tbsp whole milk or cream
10 - 1/4 tsp chili flakes (optional)

→ Toppings

11 - 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (approximately 1.4 oz)
12 - 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
13 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How-To:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti or linguine according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces, season with salt and black pepper, and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes until golden and fully cooked. Remove chicken and set aside.
03 - Reduce heat to medium. Add basil pesto to the same skillet and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Crack eggs directly into the pesto. Let cook undisturbed for 1 to 2 minutes until whites begin to set. Gently scramble the eggs, then add milk or cream and chili flakes if using. Stir continuously until eggs are just set and creamy.
05 - Add the drained pasta and cooked chicken to the skillet. Toss gently, adding reserved pasta water as needed to create a smooth sauce coating the pasta evenly.
06 - Remove from heat. Stir in half of the Parmesan cheese and basil leaves. Plate the pasta and top each serving with remaining Parmesan, basil, and a grind of black pepper. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It delivers restaurant-quality creaminess without any heavy cream in sight—just eggs doing their magic.
  • You get a complete protein-packed meal ready in 35 minutes, perfect for when hunger doesn't wait.
  • The pesto-egg sauce tastes like something you'd pay extra for at a café, but it's made from five simple ingredients.
02 -
  • Don't scramble the eggs too aggressively—they're meant to stay creamy and custard-like, not fluffy and set, so gentle stirring is everything.
  • Pasta water is non-negotiable here; it's what transforms separate components into one unified, silky dish, so don't skip reserving it.
03 -
  • If you have homemade pesto, this is where it truly shines—the fresh herbs in your sauce are doing all the heavy lifting, so quality matters here.
  • Keep the heat at medium once the eggs go in; too high and you'll end up with scrambled eggs instead of a silky sauce.
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