Description
This Creamy Chicken and Corn Pasta is a delightful and comforting dish featuring tender chicken breast chunks cooked with sweet corn, sautéed shallots, and a savory blend of spices. Tossed with your choice of pasta and a creamy pesto parmesan sauce, this recipe offers a satisfying meal perfect for a family dinner or casual gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 10 ounces uncooked pasta casarecce, cavatappi, rotini, or penne
Chicken and Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch chunks
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Vegetables and Sauce
- 1/2 cup diced shallots
- 2 cups corn kernels fresh or frozen (defrosted)
- 1/3 cup pesto
- 1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish
- 1/4 cup heavy cream or half and half
- basil leaves for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Add the pasta into a pot of boiling salted water and cook until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Season the chicken: Coat the chicken chunks with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, smoked paprika, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
- Sear the chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, coating the bottom evenly. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook without moving for 3 minutes to develop a golden brown crust. Flip and cook until the chicken is fully cooked through. Remove from skillet and set aside.
- Sauté shallots and corn: Reduce heat to medium. Add diced shallots and corn kernels to the skillet and sauté for 2-3 minutes until tender and fragrant.
- Combine ingredients: Return the cooked chicken to the skillet along with the drained pasta. Add the pesto and stir well to coat everything evenly.
- Add cream and cheese: Pour in the heavy cream and sprinkle the parmesan cheese over the mixture. Stir continuously until the cheese melts and the sauce is creamy and warmed through. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt or more cream if desired.
- Garnish and serve: Serve immediately garnished with extra parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves if using.
Notes
- Use any short pasta shape you prefer such as casarecce, cavatappi, rotini, or penne to hold the sauce well.
- For a lighter alternative, substitute heavy cream with half and half or a lactose-free cream.
- Frozen corn works well if fresh corn is not available; just make sure to thaw before cooking.
- If you want to make this gluten free, use gluten free pasta and ensure pesto and other ingredients are gluten free certified.
- To add more veggies, you can toss in some spinach or cherry tomatoes while adding cream.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated gently on stovetop or microwave.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 520 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 47 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
