Pesto Chicken Skillet

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This Pesto Chicken Skillet with creamy garlic pasta is made in just minutes, perfect for leftover Rotisserie chicken, and can be served with your choice of vegetables in a skillet.

Pesto Chicken Skillet Recipe

Of all one-pan dinners, this might be our favorite one.

I like it with the red bell peppers and mushrooms, while my boys always want it vegetable-free.

Any kind of vegetables can be added to this pasta skillet meal – asparagus, any color of bell pepper, diced tomatoes, onions, jalapenos – whatever your heart desires. 

Either way, it cooks up so perfectly time after time.

We prefer angel hair pasta in this one-pan dinner since it cooks really quickly.

However, small shell pasta is also good since each one of those little shells holds in a scoop of sauce! 

This is a great recipe for using leftover rotisserie chicken.

Or, cook chicken breasts or chicken thighs at home for this dish. 

Who knew that plain old half-and-half could make such a creamy pasta sauce simply by simmering and reducing it until it thickens?

Leftover Rotisserie Chicken Skillet Recipe Ingredients

• Cooked chopped or shredded rotisserie chicken (or similar)
• Angel hair pasta, broken into thirds, may substitute any type of pasta
• Jarred basil pesto, usually found in the pasta aisle
• Chicken stock
• Half and half, may substitute fat-free half and half
• ½ cup shredded or grated Parmesan cheese
• Seasoning: granulated garlic or garlic powder, unsalted butter
• Sliced or chopped vegetables, I used button mushrooms and a red pepper, optional

How to make pesto chicken skillet

Cook the garlic powder and bell pepper in a large skillet for 3-4 minutes.

Then, stir in the sliced mushrooms and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.

Add the chicken broth, bringing it to a boil.

Stir in the pasta and reduce the heat to low.

Let the pasta simmer, covered, until tender, 10-12 minutes.

Adjust your simmering time to your noodle cooking times. Check your posts package for more details.

Stir in the Rotisserie chicken (or any cooked chicken), half-and-half, and pesto, simmering again until the sauce thickens and is reduced.

Top with parmesan and serve at once.

Using Fat-Free Half and Half

If you opt to use fat-free half-and-half in a sauce, you may have to add just a bit of a cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce.

 A cornstarch slurry is made using equal parts of water and cornstarch.

For this recipe, I suggest combining 1 Tbs. water with 1 Tbs. cornstarch, stirring until smooth.

Add the slurry, a little at a time, to the sauce until it thickens to the desired consistency.

Cream sauces will also thicken further as they cool. 

Reheating Pesto Chicken Skillet

If needed, add just a bit of milk or half-and-half when reheating since pasta always tends to absorb sauces and dressings like crazy as it sits. 

This pasta reheats well.

More Favorite Recipes to Try

I’m always into one-skillet meals and there are several here on my website. And guess what? Most of them are rich and creamy, just like this one….soon to be family favorites at your house, too.

Creamy Tortellini Pasta Skillet (made with just 6 ingredients) is a very popular meal around this household, as well as Fiesta Ground Beef and Noodle Skillet….I’m always looking for good ground meals!

• Italian Pesto Orzo
• One Pot Chicken Pesto Pasta
• Juicy Oven-Roasted Chicken – Made in Just One Pot
• The Cowgirl Casserole Meal