I almost thought I was out of ideas for quick dinners this week…but I had a moment of inspiration for lunch the other day and whipped up this delicious pasta dish. What’s better (and, yes, I did think of this while I was preparing it!) it’s made up of lots of green ingredients to it would make a fun St. Patrick’s Day meal for kids.
I always use my kitchen griddler to grill up meats quickly, but if you don’t have an indoor grill like I do, you can always cook your chicken in a saucepan. And then ask for one of these for your next birthday. I use mine ALL the time.
Without further ado…another 15 minute dinner!
- 1 6-7 ounce jar pesto
- 2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced or pounded thin
- 16 ounce box of pasta (I used penne, but any pasta will do!)
- 2-3 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 1 small onion, sliced
- ½ teaspoon garlic
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 ounces cream cheese
- ½ cup milk
- Preheat a indoor grill/stovetop grill pan (or use a large saucepan) until medium-hot. Spread about half the pesto liberally over chicken breasts. Grill chicken til cooked through. Cut into strips or bite-sized pieces (I like to use kitchen shears for speed) and set aside.
- Meanwhile, add pasta to a pot of salted boiling water. Cook according to package directions. Drain.
- While chicken and pasta are cooking, add olive oil to a large sauce pan. Add sliced onions and saute for 2-3 minutes, stirring. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Add spinach and garlic and cook until spinach is wilted and onions are softened.
- Push onion-spinach mixture to the side of the pan. In the middle of the pan, add cream cheese and stir to melt. Add milk and the remaining pesto and stir everything together until you’ve got a creamy sauce.
- Toss drained pasta with sauce, adding chicken to the mix when the pasta is slightly coated. Serve hot…and enjoy!
Some step-by-steps:
Spread pesto over chicken (it doesn’t have to be pretty)
Saute onion, spinach, garlic, salt and pepper:
After chicken is grilled and cooked through (no more pink in the middle), enjoy the wonderful smell for a moment…and then cut into thin strips or bite-sized pieces.
Add pesto, cream cheese, and milk to veggies in the pan and stir til creamy. Toss everything together…
…and enjoy!
Need more quick suppers? Check out these other great #15MinuteSuppers!
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- Pesto Chicken Pasta from Better in Bulk
- Chicken BLT Chopped Salad from Home Cooking Memories
- Cilantro Lime Tacos with Rice from Jen’s Journey
- Grilled Reuben Sandwich from Just 2 Sisters
- Pizza Muffins from White Lights on Wednesday
- Steak & Pepper Sandwiches from Around My Family Table
Head over to our #15MinuteSuppers Pinterest Board to see all the past recipes and more delicious goodness!
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Great recipe! Thanks for sharing at Merry Monday.
Ugh, I need one of those kitchen griddles. My parents used to have a large griddle in their kitchen and I sure do miss using it for great recipes like this one! Thanks for linking up with Delicious Dishes Recipe Party!
This is perfect timing! I have a bunch of chicken I need to use up tonight! Yum!
Looks delicious! Thank you for the recipe
I really want to try more recipes with pesto in them. Your dish looks amazing. It’s perfect for a family on the move like ours.
Great dinner idea, Laura! Can’t go wrong with pasta and chicken…but the addition of the pesto is just the touch to get me to pay attention!
This looks really tasty! I have never used pesto sauce before but always wanted to try it. Here is a perfect chance to. :)
My hubby loves pesto! Thanks for the great recipe!
Love the beautiful grill marks on the chicken- looks fabulous!
This looks delicious! thanks for sharing :) https://www.handmadeintheheartland.com