Pesto Egg Chicken Pasta (Printable)

Spaghetti with tender chicken and a creamy basil pesto-egg sauce finished with Parmesan and fresh basil.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 10.5 oz spaghetti or linguine
02 - Salt, for pasta water

→ Chicken

03 - 2 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized strips
04 - 1 tbsp olive oil
05 - ½ tsp sea salt
06 - ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ Pesto Egg Sauce

07 - 3 tbsp basil pesto (store-bought or homemade)
08 - 4 large eggs
09 - 2 tbsp whole milk or cream
10 - ¼ tsp chili flakes (optional)

→ Toppings

11 - ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
12 - ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, torn
13 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How To Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti or linguine until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain and set aside.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces, season with sea salt and black pepper, and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until golden and thoroughly cooked. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
03 - Reduce heat to medium and add basil pesto to the same skillet. Let it sizzle for 30 seconds. Crack eggs directly into the skillet and cook undisturbed for 1 to 2 minutes until the whites begin to set. Gently scramble eggs, then incorporate milk or cream and optional chili flakes. Stir continuously until eggs are creamy and just set.
04 - Add drained pasta and cooked chicken to the skillet with the pesto egg sauce. Toss gently, adding reserved pasta water as needed to create a smooth sauce that evenly coats the pasta.
05 - Remove the skillet from heat. Stir in half of the Parmesan cheese and half of the torn basil leaves. Divide portions onto plates and garnish each serving with the remaining Parmesan, basil, and a grind of black pepper. Serve immediately.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It turns viral breakfast magic into a proper dinner that actually fills you up
  • The pesto cooks into the eggs and creates a sauce you'll want to bottle
  • You get restaurant flavor with ingredients you probably already have
  • It comes together faster than ordering takeout and tastes ten times better
02 -
  • If you scramble the eggs on high heat they will turn grainy and sad, medium heat gives you clouds
  • Pasta water is not optional, it's the secret that turns separated ingredients into an actual sauce
  • Don't skip reserving pasta water, I've forgotten twice and had to add plain water which doesn't work the same
03 -
  • Use a skillet big enough to toss the pasta in, or you'll be chasing noodles across the stove
  • If the pesto is oily, let it sizzle an extra few seconds so the oil separates and the flavor concentrates
  • Crack your eggs into a bowl first if you're nervous, but I like the chaos of cracking them straight in
  • Taste the pasta water before you drain it, if it's bland your dish will be too
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