Chicken and red pesto pasta
Chicken and red pesto pasta is a great family midweek dinner. It’s light but full of flavour, thanks to the red pesto, and something both children and grown ups can enjoy.
Chicken and red pesto pasta is a great family midweek dinner. It’s light but full of flavour, thanks to the red pesto, and something both children and grown ups can enjoy.
My kids love pasta but I get a bit bored of doing the same old sauces so I like to try and find recipes that are a bit different but still safe enough for my fussy eaters to eat.
I like finding recipe ideas that use red pesto as we’ve always got a jar of it in our fridge and it’s an easy way of adding a bit of flavour to any dish. I know a lot of people make pesto pasta using green pesto as a simple dish for the kids but one of my kids is really suspicious of green things in their food which is why I love using a jar of red pesto instead. You could even use delicious sun dried tomato pesto for another tasty twist on this dish.
I make this chicken pesto pasta a bit creamy with a big dollop of crème fraiche but you could equally add in some cream cheese. Both add a nice touch of creaminess which finishes the dish nicely.
How can kids help make chicken and red pesto pasta?
When you’re baking it can be easier to see where children can help make a recipe. But there are loads of steps for children who want to make this simple recipe.
Children can help prepare the vegetables. Younger children can peel the onions and garlic for you while older children who can use a sharp knife can even chop the vegetables.
I often let my 5 year old stir dinner while it’s cooking and this is a great task for any child who is old enough to be trusted around a cooker. It gives you a chance to get on with getting things ready while your kids get the satisfaction of being in charge of cooking something.
What is red pesto made of?
Lots of people make pesto pasta with green pesto, but might not be as familiar with red pesto. Red pesto is made with sun dried tomatoes, which gives it it’s colour as well as pine nuts and parmesan.
Other pasta recipes for kids
If your children enjoy this creamy chicken and chorizo pasta, they might enjoy making and eating some of our other easy pasta recipes:
Creamy Italian sausage pasta
Chicken and chorizo pasta
Roasted red pepper pasta
Creamy lemon chicken pasta
Sausage pasta
Slow cooker bolognese
Bacon mac and cheese
Ingredients
2 chicken breasts
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
1 red pepper
2 tbsp red pesto
200ml chicken stock
100g spinach
2 tbsp crème fraiche
How to make chicken and red pesto pasta
Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet
Prepare the chicken
Cut the chicken breasts into bite sized pieces. If you’ve got older children you could get them to do this step, as chicken is relatively easy to cut. I tend to do it myself though as I don’t always trust mine around raw chicken. You can get your kids to start on the next steps while you do this.
Prepare the vegetables
Get your kids to help peel the onions and garlic, then chop the onion into small pieces. Slice the peppers thinly.
Cook the onions and garlic
Heat a little oil in a pan then add the onions. Cook them for a few minutes until they have softened and turned a little translucent. Crush the garlic (I let the kids use a garlic crusher) and add it to your pan. Cook it on a gentle heat for another minute.
If your children are old enough to be trusted around the cooker, they can help by stirring your pan.
Cook the chicken
Add the chicken to your pan and cook it on a medium heat until it has browned nicely on all sides. Add the red peppers and stir them in.
Make the sauce
Add the red pesto – your children can help by spooning the pesto in. Unlike in baking where you need an accurate level spoon, you can be generous and add big rounded tablespoons.
Make the stock – your kids can help crumble the stock cube in before you add the water. Pour it in your pan.
Stir everything and cook it for a further 5-10 minutes.
Finally, add the spinach and the two tablespoons of crème fraiche. Continue cooking for another minute or so until the spinach has wilted.
Add the cooked pasta to your sauce, stir it together and serve.
Serve with a sprinkle of parmesan if you like.
Chicken and red pesto pasta
Ingredients
Method
- Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet
- Cut the chicken breasts into bite sized pieces.
- Peel the onions and garlic, then chop the onion into small pieces. Slice the peppers thinly.
- Heat a little oil in a pan then add the onions. Cook them for a few minutes until they have softened and turned a little translucent. Crush the garlic. Cook it on a gentle heat for another minute.
- Add the chicken to your pan and cook it on a medium heat until it has browned nicely on all sides. Add the red peppers and stir them in.
- Add the red pesto (you can be generous and add big rounded tablespoons.)
- Make the stock and pour it in your pan.
- Stir everything and cook it for a further 5-10 minutes.
- Finally, add the spinach and the two tablespoons of crème fraiche. Continue cooking for another minute or so until the spinach has wilted.
- Add the cooked pasta to your sauce, stir it together and serve.
- Serve with a sprinkle of parmesan if you like.
Pin chicken and red pesto pasta for later
Similar recipes
If you liked this chicken and red pesto pasta you might also like our chicken and chorizo pasta, our carbonara cake or our other easy dinners for kids.
Leave a Reply