Pesto Egg Chicken Pasta (Print Version)

Tender chicken and creamy pesto-egg sauce combine with pasta for a rich, flavorful dish.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 10.5 oz spaghetti or linguine
02 - Salt, as needed for pasta water

→ Chicken

03 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 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
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
12 - ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, torn
13 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup 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 pepper, and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until golden and cooked through. Remove from skillet and set aside.
03 - Reduce heat to medium. Add basil pesto to the same skillet and let it sizzle gently for 30 seconds.
04 - Crack eggs directly into the pesto. Allow them to cook undisturbed for 1 to 2 minutes until the whites begin to set. Gently scramble, then add milk or cream and chili flakes (if using). Stir continuously until eggs are creamy and just set.
05 - Add drained pasta and cooked chicken to the skillet. Toss gently, adding reserved pasta water as needed to create a silky, coating sauce.
06 - Remove skillet from heat. Stir in half of the Parmesan cheese and half of the torn basil leaves. Divide portions onto plates.
07 - Top each serving with the remaining Parmesan, basil leaves, and a grind of fresh black pepper. Serve immediately.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It comes together in under 35 minutes, which means you can have a restaurant-quality dinner on a weeknight without the stress.
  • The pesto egg sauce is pure magic—creamy, aromatic, and way more interesting than plain cream or oil.
  • High protein and genuinely filling, so you won't be hunting for snacks an hour later.
02 -
  • Scrambling the eggs gently is everything—rush it or get too aggressive and you'll end up with dry, rubbery curds instead of a creamy sauce that clings to the pasta.
  • That reserved pasta water isn't optional; it's what transforms this from dry and separated into a unified, luxurious dish that actually tastes professional.
03 -
  • Grate your Parmesan fresh and use the finer holes of the grater; it melts into the warm pasta like it's part of the sauce instead of sitting on top as crunchy flakes.
  • If your pesto is on the salty side, taste it before you add any extra salt to the chicken—some brands are aggressive, and you can always add more but you can't take it back.
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