10-Minute Pesto Pasta Chicken

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz dried short pasta (penne, fusilli, or farfalle)

02 - Salt, to season pasta water

→ Chicken

03 - 2 cups (approx. 8.8 oz) shredded rotisserie chicken

→ Sauce & Finish

04 - ½ cup (4 fl oz) high-quality store-bought pesto

05 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

06 - ¼ cup (1 oz) grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

07 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

08 - ½ cup fresh basil leaves, torn (optional)

09 - Zest of 1 lemon (optional)

# Directions:

01 - In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente according to package directions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water before draining.

02 - While pasta cooks, shred or chop rotisserie chicken and set aside.

03 - Return drained pasta to the pot over low heat. Stir in olive oil, pesto, and 2 to 3 tablespoons of reserved pasta water until pasta is evenly coated.

04 - Incorporate shredded chicken and Parmesan cheese into pasta. Toss until chicken is warmed through and sauce is creamy, adding more pasta water as needed.

05 - Season with freshly ground black pepper to taste. If desired, fold in fresh basil leaves and lemon zest for brightness.

06 - Plate immediately, topping with additional grated Parmesan if preferred.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -

It's genuinely ready in 10 minutes, which means dinner on the table before anyone asks what's for dinner.
The pesto does all the heavy lifting flavor-wise, so you can feel proud without standing over the stove.
Using rotisserie chicken means no raw chicken to handle or cook separately—just shred and go.
It tastes fresh and fancy enough for guests but simple enough for a solo meal.

02 -

Pasta water is not dirty water—it's starch that binds pesto to pasta, so always save some before draining, and don't pour it down the sink without thinking.
Store-bought pesto already has salt in it, so go easy on seasoning at the end or you'll end up with something too salty to enjoy.
The longer pesto sits, the darker it gets and the less bright it tastes, so this is a dish that needs to be eaten right away—make it last minute and serve it hot.

03 -