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Creamy Chicken Pesto Penne with Broccoli

April 18, 2017

This creamy pasta combines the fresh bite of broccoli with grilled chicken in a creamy almond milk and pesto sauce, and is equally good served hot or chilled.

Creamy Chicken Pesto Penne with Broccoli | foodiecrush.com

This post is brought to you by Almond Breeze

You don’t find balance, you create it. Everything in moderation. Too much of a good thing, is, well, too much.

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These are all sayings to live by. I try. I really do try. But sometimes life gets the better of me and I find that little purple devil-horned emoji dude sitting square on my shoulder whispering in my ear, “You can have it. It’s just one bite. It’s not like it’s gonna kill you.”

But then that one bite turns into a whole meal, and that then turns into one week, and that makes it that much harder to get back on track.

But that’s where this creamy chicken pesto pasta recipe makes its power play. It’s creamy in a totally healthful way that cures my comfort cravings. It’s  fresh broccoli and whole grain pasta turn off my guilt-0-meter. And with most of the ingredients simple to stock in the fridge, freezer and pantry, preparing it is far from a weeknight chore.

Creamy Chicken Pesto Penne with Broccoli | foodiecrush.com

Creamy Chicken Pesto Penne with Broccoli | foodiecrush.com

I’m reluctant to call this pasta recipe a pasta salad in the traditional sense, but it is a hybrid that works exactly in that way. This all-in-one pasta delivers several of the major food groups in one bowl. Protein, whole grain and vegetables in each bite. But where it really shines is in its flexible serving ways where it plays well for a hot main dish for dinner one night, and is just as easily served as a chilled, light lunch for book club. And of course for you book clubbers, it pairs wonderfully with wine.

Where pasta sauces made with a traditional cream sauce often thicken and or separate when chilled in the fridge, this one made with Almond Breeze Almondmilk Cashewmilk Original Unsweetened makes it just as pleasurable to be enjoy as a chilled pasta salad, or as-is, hot from the pan and onto the dinner plate.

Creamy Chicken Pesto Penne with Broccoli | foodiecrush.com

I hadn’t tried Almond Breeze’s almond cashew blend before talking with a few other bloggers who shared it’s a great option for recipes with a creamy sauce because it is indeed creamier than regular almond milk. And with 25 calories per cup, that’s a creamy bite I won’t say no to. To thicken the sauce even more, I mix 1/2 cup of the almond cashew milk blend in a small jam jar (fitted with a lid) and add all-purpose flour to it, shake it up well (with the lid on, of course), then pour the thickener into the almond milk as it cooks down. Store-bought pesto adds all the herby flavor needed to the sauce. Of course, homemade pesto works great too.

I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs in this recipe, but feel free to use skinless chicken breasts if you prefer, but you’d only need 2-3 breasts, if so.

This is definitely one of those recipes where impulse vegetable ingredient additions or substitutions are welcome. Zucchini, mushrooms, asparagus, cauliflower, peas, corn, different styles or colors of peppers, and butternut squash would all make this recipe sing for our supper.

Creamy Chicken Pesto Penne with Broccoli | foodiecrush.com

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment below or take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.

Creamy Chicken Pesto Penne with Broccoli | foodiecrush.com
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Creamy Chicken Pesto Penne with Broccoli

Ingredients

  • 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 1 pound penne pasta noodles
  • 2 cups small-cut broccoli florets
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 4 cloves garlic pressed or mined
  • 1 medium red bell pepper about 1cup diced
  • 2 1/2 cups Almond Breeze Almondmilk Cashewmilk Original Unsweetened
  • 5 tablespoons flour
  • 1 4 to 5 ounce jar basil pesto
  • Grated Parmesan cheese for garnish if desired
  • Fresh basil leaves for garnish

Instructions

  1. Trim the chicken thighs of any extra fat and season both sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a 10-inch skillet and heat over medium high heat. Add the chicken breasts (you may need to cook in batches with the additional tablespoon of olive oil) being sure not to crowd the chicken. Cook on each side for 5 minutes or until golden brown on each side. Transfer to a platter to rest. Wipe out the skillet and save to cook the creamy sauce in.
  2. Meanwhile, bring a large stock pot of water to a boil and season generously with kosher salt. Add the pasta noodles and cook according to the package directions or until al dente. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the noodles to a colander to drain and reserve the pasta cooking water in the pasta cooking pot. Add the broccoli to the pasta water and cook for 1 minute, then drain over the pasta noodles and transfer to a large bowl.
  3. Melt the butter in the reserved skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the red bell pepper and cook for another 3-4 minutes or until the pepper begins to soften. Stir in 2 cups of the almond cashew milk, reserving 1/2 cup to put in a glass jar fitted with a lid. Raise the heat to medium high, and cook, stirring often, until the milk reduces by one third. Add the flour to the jar containing the remaining 1/2 cup almond milk, cover with a tight fitting lid, and shake well to combine. Pour into the skillet and stir into the almond milk mixture, then cook until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Stir the jar of pesto sauce into the cream mixture until well combined, and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Pour the sauce over the pasta noodles and stir to combine.
  4. Slice the chicken breasts into strips and top over the pasta. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil if desired.

Creamy Chicken Pesto Penne with Broccoli | foodiecrush.com

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This post is part of a partnered series with Blue Diamond Almond Breeze. As always, thank you for reading and supporting companies I partner with, which allows me to create more unique content and recipes for you. All opinions are always my own.  

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Categories: chicken and turkey, dinner, family friendly, healthy, lunch, noodles, rice and grains, recipes, seasonal : spring, seasonal : summer, sponsored, vegetables and fruits Tags: almond milk, broccoli, chicken, dinner, lunch, pasta, penne, red bell pepper

About Heidi

Hi! I’m Heidi and I cook real good, real food I hope you’ll love to make, too.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Adrienne | Appetites Anonymous says

    April 18, 2017 at 5:54 am

    Yum!!!!!!!!!!!! Perfect recipe for dinner!

    Reply
    • Dodo Anderson says

      October 14, 2018 at 8:22 pm

      Pooo
      I think the chicken should have been zebra

      Reply
  2. Lee Farmer says

    April 18, 2017 at 7:50 am

    I’m so excited to try a recipe with almond milk. I just recently started drinking it but never thought to use it in my cooking. Amazing pictures on all the recipes too!

    Reply
  3. Paul says

    April 18, 2017 at 8:24 am

    This looks gooooooooooooooooooood! Perfect recipe for me as I’m upping my protein intake at the minute.

    Reply
  4. bigbangdissertation.com says

    April 18, 2017 at 8:35 am

    Complete recipe of Cramy chicken penne pesto brocoli you like to shared here. Above friend said right it’s vey ymmmy and tasty. I have tasted at my friend’s home and now i can make it at home to follow the above recipe.

    Reply
  5. Sara @ Last Night's Feast says

    April 18, 2017 at 6:04 pm

    This looks super delicious!

    Reply
  6. professional writing says

    April 19, 2017 at 3:31 am

    OMG! This pasta is sososo tasty I think! I will try to cook something like this around the weekend!

    Reply
  7. Kelly Senyei says

    April 19, 2017 at 1:12 pm

    YUM! Loving the versatility of this pasta dish, Heidi!

    Reply
  8. university assignment help says

    May 25, 2017 at 2:02 am

    Hey I see your a big fan of food and you really love to cook foods with that desired passion.I just purchased a really great recipe guide online,and I have now been able to cook fabulous dishes with my guests always complimenting the great food I cook. Enjoy your new recipes!!!

    Reply
  9. Ana says

    July 4, 2017 at 8:47 pm

    Love this combination of two classic sauce staples. Everything turned out well and I like your idea of mixing in the flour via shaking versus trying to chase down the flour clumps in the pan. Thanks for the recipe! It’s another keeper.

    Reply
  10. Custom Essay Service says

    July 21, 2017 at 6:56 am

    I want to have whole grain rice/noodles, Shredded Cheese (not too fatty), FRESH, BROCCOLI and possibly other green veggies with antioxidants! and canned chicken. That’s it! If it’s possible to add antioxidants that will also taste good, tell me. I just wanna know the amount of everything I need to put in a batch.

    Reply
  11. Help With Medical Assignment says

    July 25, 2017 at 3:44 am

    This is really a great stuff for sharing. Keep it up. Thanks for sharing.

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  12. Operating System Assignment Help Service says

    July 25, 2017 at 3:45 am

    I appreciate your efforts in preparing this post. I really like your blog articles.

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    August 8, 2017 at 3:13 am

    Great blog post. Thanks so much for sharing

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  14. Wanda Turner says

    November 15, 2017 at 5:23 pm

    Made this for dinner tonight and it was amazing. Can’t wait to have it again soon.

    Reply
  15. Essay Writers UK says

    January 5, 2018 at 3:24 am

    Grilled chicken in a creamy almond milk and pesto sauce, and is similarly desirable served warm or chilled.

    Reply
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    March 29, 2018 at 12:17 am

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  17. Dodo anderson says

    October 14, 2018 at 8:24 pm

    Poo
    I think the chicken should have been zebra, and my son choked on the chicken, you said it would be boneless

    Reply

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Hi! I’m Heidi and I cook real good, real food I hope you’ll love to make, too.

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