Pesto Egg Chicken Pasta (Printable)

A vibrant blend of chicken, creamy pesto-egg sauce, and pasta garnished with Parmesan and basil.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 10.5 oz spaghetti or linguine
02 - Salt, for 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 - ½ tsp sea salt
06 - ¼ 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 - ¼ tsp chili flakes (optional)

→ Toppings

11 - ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (approx. 1.4 oz)
12 - ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, torn
13 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How-To Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken strips, season with salt and black pepper, and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until golden and fully cooked. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
03 - Reduce heat to medium. Add basil pesto to the same skillet and let it sizzle for 30 seconds. Crack eggs directly into the pesto and cook undisturbed for 1 to 2 minutes until the whites begin to set. Gently scramble the eggs, then stir in milk or cream and chili flakes if using. Continue stirring until eggs are just set and creamy.
04 - Add cooked pasta and chicken back into the skillet. Toss gently, adding reserved pasta water as needed to create a silky sauce that evenly coats the pasta.
05 - Remove from heat and stir in half of the Parmesan cheese and basil leaves. Divide into serving plates and top each portion with the remaining Parmesan, basil, and a grind of black pepper. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It turns leftover pesto into a creamy, dreamy sauce without any cream fuss.
  • The eggs cook right in the skillet, so theres barely any cleanup.
  • You get protein, carbs, and greens all in one twirl of the fork.
  • It tastes like youve been cooking for hours, but youre done in 35 minutes.
02 -
  • Dont skip reserving pasta water, that starchy liquid is what turns a dry toss into a restaurant-quality sauce.
  • Keep the heat medium when you scramble the eggs, high heat will make them rubbery and dry instead of creamy.
  • Add the Parmesan off the heat so it melts smoothly instead of clumping into greasy strings.
03 -
  • Use a large skillet so theres plenty of room to toss the pasta without it clumping.
  • Tear the basil leaves instead of chopping them, it bruises less and tastes brighter.
  • Crack your eggs into a small bowl first, that way you can fish out any shell bits before they hit the pan.
  • If your pesto is very thick, loosen it with a tablespoon of pasta water before adding the eggs.
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