Pesto Chicken Chili Mac (Printable)

Hearty pasta dish with chicken, pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, and melted mozzarella cheese

# What you need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz elbow macaroni or small pasta shells

→ Proteins

02 - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
04 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
06 - ½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
07 - 14 oz canned diced tomatoes, undrained

→ Dairy

08 - 1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
09 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Sauces and Broths

10 - ½ cup prepared basil pesto
11 - 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

→ Seasonings and Oils

12 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
13 - 1½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
14 - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

# Directions:

01 - In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook elbow macaroni according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced chicken, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until golden and cooked through, approximately 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
03 - In the same pot, add diced onion and red bell pepper. Cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Stir in chopped sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes if desired. Cook for 1 minute to bloom the spices.
05 - Add canned diced tomatoes with their juice and chicken broth to the pot. Bring to a gentle simmer.
06 - Return the cooked chicken to the pot. Add the cooked pasta and basil pesto. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes to meld flavors. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
07 - Remove from heat. Stir in shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan cheese until fully melted and the mixture becomes creamy.
08 - Plate into bowls while hot. Garnish with additional fresh basil pesto or Parmesan cheese if desired.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • It bridges the gap between weeknight comfort food and something that feels genuinely special, all in under 45 minutes.
  • The pesto adds brightness that cuts through the richness of the cheese and cream, so you don't feel weighed down after eating.
  • Once you taste how sun-dried tomatoes play against fresh basil, you'll find yourself making this constantly.
02 -
  • Don't add the pesto before you stop cooking—heat breaks down the fresh basil and turns it bitter and dark, which tastes like disappointment.
  • If you're tempted to skip draining the sun-dried tomatoes, resist that urge hard; they come in so much oil that you'll end up with a slick coating instead of a cohesive sauce.
  • The pasta will keep absorbing liquid as it sits, so if you're not serving immediately, keep a little extra broth warm on the side to loosen it up again.
03 -
  • Keep your chicken pieces roughly the same size so they cook evenly—I learned this the hard way when half my batch was overcooked and stringy.
  • If your pesto is very salty or herb-forward, use a touch less than the recipe calls for and taste before adding more; you can always stir in more but you can't take it back.
  • Make this on the day you want to eat it rather than trying to reheat it, because the pasta absorbs liquid and the cheese can separate when warmed repeatedly.
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