Name: Creamy Pesto Pasta with Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 16 oz penne pasta (~1 full box); 4 medium chicken breasts; 1/2–1 cup sun-dried tomatoes; 1 handful fresh basil, chopped; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1/3–1/2 yellow onion, chopped; 1 tsp garlic, minced; 1 cup mushrooms, chopped; 2 cups milk (2%, 1%, or unsweetened dairy free); 3 tsp tapioca, potato, or corn starch; 1/2 cup pesto; 1 tsp salt

Instructions

Cook the chicken: Preheat oven to 375F. Grease a baking sheet or dish and place chicken breasts on it. Sprinkle with salt & pepper, then bake for 30 minutes, or until cooked through and no longer pink inside (cut into one to check). Slice into bite-sized pieces.
While the chicken is cooking, cook the pasta: (According to box instructions). Bring a large pot filled halfway with water to a boil, then place pasta in and cook for ~8 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Once cooked, drain out the water and set pasta aside.
Make the sauce: Place a large pot or pan (big enough to add your pasta to later) over medium heat. Add the oil and once heated, cook the onion until translucent. Add in the garlic and mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms are soft, another couple minutes. Reduce the heat.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together the milk and starch until dissolved and smooth. Mixing these when cold prevents the starch from going lumpy.
Add the pesto, milk and starch mixture, and salt to the pan and whisk together. Once combined, Bring to medium heat and, stirring frequently, bring to a light boil. Boil for around one minute, then reduce the heat to low.
Add in the sun-dried tomatoes, cooked chicken, and basil, heating for a couple minutes on low heat. Gradually fold in the pasta. You may not need all of the pasta, depending on how big of a serving you are making.
Remove from heat and serve warm!

Notes

Feel free to add as much or as little sun-dried tomatoes and chicken as you’d like.

For Gluten Free: Use gluten free pasta like brown rice pasta or chickpea/lentil pasta.

For Vegan: Use unsweetened plain dairy free milk, vegan pesto (one without cheese), and omit the chicken. For more protein, add in some chickpeas or use red lentil or chickpea pasta.

For Dairy Free: Use unsweetened plain dairy free milk.