Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta With Homemade Pesto (Lower Carb)

Creamy pesto chicken pasta with homemade basil pesto, pan seared chicken, and a real Parmesan cream sauce. I pan seared the chicken instead of frying it and used pasta with 50 percent fewer carbs. It is still creamy, still cheesy, still worth the plate. Making a better choice does not mean eating a sad bowl of noodles. The homemade pesto is what carries this whole dish. Toasted pine nuts, fresh basil, and one little ice cube so it stays bright green instead of turning that dark army color. More recipes at https://tonimeals.com INGREDIENTS For the chicken 1½ pounds marinated skinless chicken breast 1 tablespoon olive oil For the homemade pesto 2 packed cups fresh basil leaves ⅓ cup pine nuts ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan 2 garlic cloves 1 tablespoon lemon juice ½ cup olive oil ½ teaspoon salt Black pepper 1 small ice cube to help the pesto stay green For the pasta and cream sauce 12 ounces pasta 1 medium onion, diced 4 garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon butter 1¼ cups heavy cream 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan ⅔ cup homemade pesto Juice from half a lemon ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped ½ cup reserved pasta water Salt and black pepper as needed DIRECTIONS Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the basil, toasted pine nuts, Parmesan, garlic, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, and ice cube to a food processor. Blend while slowly pouring in the olive oil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Save ½ cup of the pasta water before draining. Pat the excess marinade from the chicken. Heat the olive oil in a skillet and pan sear the chicken for approximately 4 to 6 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Cook until the center reaches 165°F, then remove it from the skillet and let it rest. In the same skillet, sauté the onion until softened. Add the butter and garlic, then cook for about 30 seconds. Pour in the heavy cream and bring it to a gentle simmer. Lower the heat and gradually stir in the Parmesan. Add a little pasta water if needed to help the sauce become smooth. Turn off the heat, then stir the pesto into the cream sauce. Add the pasta, lemon juice, and parsley. Toss until everything is evenly coated. Slice the rested chicken and serve it over the creamy pesto pasta. If you make this one, tell me in the comments. I read them. Subscribe for more simple family meals from Toni Meals. #ToniMeals #CreamyPestoPasta #ChickenPasta #PestoChickenPasta #HomemadePesto