We can’t get over the pesto pasta which is why I made another variation of it and that is today’s recipe of fusilli with pesto and chicken!
I am not sure how to start this post! Honestly, I am not! After sharing enumerable pasta recipes and that too pesto pasta recipes in particular, I am back with yet another pesto pasta (facepalm)!
Fusilli with pesto and chicken is what I would like to offer you today and trust me, this is one more incredible pesto pasta which you will fall in love with immediately!
Fusilli is an incredible pasta that soaks up the pesto sauce so nicely that you will get addicted to this fusilli with pesto instantaneously!
Pesto, pasta and chicken is a match made in heaven and this dish is clear evidence of that!
What is Fusilli with Pesto and chicken?
As the name of the dish suggests, fusilli with pesto and chicken is the simple pasta dish where fusilli and cooked chicken are tossed in delicious basil pesto, preferably the homemade one and topped with melted cheese!
Fusilli is the spiral or corkscrew shaped pasta and thanks to its twists, it has grooves that are good for holding onto sauce.
Due to its fun shape, I feel this is a good choice of pasta for kids and they will love this pesto fusilli as much as they loved my cheesy chicken pasta loaded with veggies, which I had made with fusilli too!
Ingredients for fusilli with pesto and chicken
Fusilli pasta: I feel this is kids’ favorite pasta thanks to its fun shape! I love this pasta because it soaks up the sauce so beautifully due to its spiral shape having nooks and crannies!
Basil pesto: The undisputed star ingredient of this recipe is our very favorite basil pesto and that too homemade one made with homegrown fresh basil leaves!
Chicken: To make your fusilli with pesto a wholesome meal without much fuss, add this protein element and love it even more! Use chicken breast or chicken thighs as per your liking and you are sorted!
Olive oil: Basil pesto pasta demands a generous amount of olive oil! Use a good quality extra virgin olive oil for the best taste. I recommend using Borges Extra Virgin Olive oil which I regularly use.
Cheese: To round up your fusilli with pesto pasta, use your favorite cheese at the end and let it melt into the pasta. We love cheddar cheese which melts beautifully and brings the pesto, pasta and chicken together making them insanely appetizing!
Garlic: This is the must-add aromatic to your fusilli with pesto pasta! Garlic creates magic when added to olive oil and when it is added to pesto which is heavy on olive oil, the magic goes to the next level!
Nut: Nut is required for making your homemade basil pesto. Traditionally pine nuts are used to make it, but since pine nuts are little difficult to get hold of in India, I substitute it with cashew nuts successfully without any sacrifice on taste.
How to make basil pesto?
Step 1: First chop the garlic cloves in your food processor. If using a blender, you can add the garlic along with the basil leaves.
Step 2: Then add all the basil leaves to the processor jar and process until all the leaves are finely chopped.
Step 3: Now add the toasted cashew or the nuts you are using. Process them until broken into tiny pieces.
Step 4: Next start pouring the olive oil through the feeding tube keeping the processor on. Stop in between, open the lid of the processor and give a stir using a spatula.
If using a blender, then add the olive oil in 2-3 installments blending after each addition.
Step 5: Process or blend until all the oil is incorporated. You may increase or decrease the quantity of olive oil as per your preference.
Step 6: Season with salt & pepper and process one final time for 5 seconds and your basil pesto is done and ready to use.
Step 7: Transfer the basil pesto to an airtight jar and reserve upto 7 days in the refrigerator and a month in the freezer.
How to make fusilli with pesto and chicken?
Step 1: Cook the fusilli pasta in salted boiling water as per packet instructions or till al-dente. While draining the pasta, make sure to reserve a cup of pasta water (i.e. the hot water in which you were cooking the pasta).
Step 2: While the pasta is cooking, cut the chicken into small bite-sized pieces. You can use chicken thighs (which I prefer) or chicken breast as per your liking; but just remember that chicken breast cooks way faster than thighs and overcooking may turn them hard.
Step 3: Now heat a large skillet and add half of the olive oil to it. Once the oil is warm, add grated garlic and sauté for a minute.
Step 4: Then add the chicken cubes and cook them on medium heat until they are completely cooked through and turn brown on all sides. This would take about 8 to 10 minutes for chicken thighs on medium heat. Season the chicken with salt and black pepper.
Step 5: Once done, take the chicken out on a plate and set aside until needed.
Step 6: Now to the same skillet, add remaining olive oil and let it warm. Then add half a cup of the basil pesto that you made and stir to mix in with the olive oil in the skillet.
Step 7: Once the pesto warms up, add cooked fusilli and start mixing it with pesto using a spatula.
Step 8: Add a little pasta water to ease the mixing of pesto and pasta. Don’t worry, your fusilli with pesto won’t be watery; pasta will soak up all the water leaving you with a crispy pesto pasta.
Pro tip: You can optimize the amount of basil pesto as per your liking. I load up a lot of pesto on my pasta but a ratio of ¼ cup of pesto per 2 servings of pasta should be good enough, but that’s just a basic guideline.
Step 9: Once the fusilli pasta is mixed well with the pesto, add in the cooked chicken and give a good mix using the spatula. Check the seasoning and add salt if needed. Do keep in mind that pesto is already seasoned with salt.
Step 10: Now add the grated cheese of your choice. I recommend using cheddar cheese which is our all-time favorite.
Step 11: Cover the skillet for a couple of minutes to allow the cheese to melt. Give a final stir to mix in the melted cheese evenly.
Step 12: Your fusilli with pesto and chicken is ready! Serve it with some extra pesto and chilli flakes on the side to add an extra kick!
More delicious pasta recipes from Flavor Quotient
- Best Ever Cheesy Chicken Pasta Bake
- Creamy Chicken Pasta with Tomato & Basil
- Creamy Mushroom Spaghetti in White Sauce
- Fresh Italian basil leaves - 2 cups, tightly packed
- Raw whole cashew - 15 to 18, toasted (or ¼ cup pine nuts)
- Garlic - 2 cloves
- Extra virgin olive oil - ½ cup
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fusilli pasta - 2 cups, dry
- Chicken thigh or breast - 300 gms, boneless and skinless
- Olive oil - 4 tbsp
- Garlic - 6 to 8 cloves, minced
- Cheddar cheese - ½ cup, grated
- Basil pesto - ½ cup
- First chop the garlic cloves in your food processor. If using a blender, you can add the garlic along with the basil leaves.
- Then add all the basil leaves to the processor jar and process until all the leaves are finely chopped.
- Now add the toasted cashew or the nuts you are using. Process them until broken into tiny pieces.
- Next start pouring the olive oil through the feeding tube keeping the processor on. Stop in between, open the lid of the processor and give a stir using a spatula.
- If using a blender, then add the olive oil in 2-3 installments blending after each addition.
- Process or blend until all the oil is incorporated. You may increase or decrease the quantity of olive oil as per your preference.
- Season with salt & pepper and process one final time for 5 seconds and your basil pesto is done and ready to use.
- Transfer the basil pesto to an airtight jar and reserve upto 7 days in the refrigerator and a month in the freezer.
- Cook the fusilli pasta in salted boiling water as per packet instructions or till al-dente. While draining the pasta, make sure to reserve a cup of pasta water (i.e. the hot water in which you were cooking the pasta).
- While the pasta is cooking, cut the chicken into small bite-sized pieces. You can use chicken thighs (which I prefer) or chicken breast as per your liking; but just remember that chicken breast cooks way faster than thighs and overcooking may turn them hard.
- Now heat a large skillet and add half of the olive oil to it. Once the oil is warm, add grated garlic and sauté for a minute.
- Then add the chicken cubes and cook them on medium heat until they are completely cooked through and turn brown on all sides. This would take about 8 to 10 minutes for chicken thighs on medium heat. Season the chicken with salt and black pepper.
- Once done, take the chicken out on a plate and set aside until needed.
- Now to the same skillet, add remaining olive oil and let it warm. Then add half a cup of the basil pesto that you made and stir to mix in with the olive oil in the skillet.
- Once the pesto warms up, add cooked fusilli and start mixing it with pesto using a spatula.
- Add a little pasta water to ease the mixing of pesto and pasta. Don't worry, your fusilli with pesto won't be watery; pasta will soak up all the water leaving you with a crispy pesto pasta.
- Once the fusilli pasta is mixed well with the pesto, add in the cooked chicken and give a good mix using the spatula. Check the seasoning and add salt if needed. Do keep in mind that pesto is already seasoned with salt.
- Now add the grated cheese of your choice. I recommend using cheddar cheese which is our all-time favorite.
- Cover the skillet for a couple of minutes to allow the cheese to melt. Give a final stir to mix in the melted cheese evenly.
- Your fusilli with pesto and chicken is ready! Serve it with some extra pesto and chilli flakes on the side to add an extra kick! Enjoy!
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