Creamy pesto chicken and corn pasta is a rich and flavorful pasta dinner that only takes 30 minutes to throw together! Pesto gives the pasta tons of fresh basil flavor and a little cream added to it creates the most luxurious velvety sauce. It’s perfect for weeknights and will be a new family favorite!
Pesto is such a fabulous way to add lots of flavor to pasta recipes! I think you’ll also love my grilled chicken and asparagus pesto pasta and brussels sprouts and bacon pesto pasta.
Why You’ll Love Chicken and Corn Pasta
Pasta with Summer Flavors – This pasta recipe boasts two popular summer ingredients, corn on the cob and basil/pesto. Of course thanks to frozen corn and prepared pesto you can make it anytime of year.
Silky Pesto Cream Sauce – I have no words to tell you how much I loved this pesto cream sauce! It’s creamy, but not like alfredo sauce creamy. Just enough that it feels decadent and comforting, but not heavy.
30 Minute Meal – The simplicity of this recipe makes it a great option for weeknight dinners. There’s minimal prep work and while the pasta cooks, it’s just enough time to cook the chicken and corn.
Ingredients Notes
Pasta – Use any short cut pasta shape. I used casarecce, but rotini, cavatappi, or penne would all work too. You can also use whole wheat pasta for whole grain benefits or gluten-free pasta if needed.
Chicken – Boneless skinless chicken breasts are great for this recipe because they’re lean and full of protein. You can use boneless skinless chicken thighs if you prefer the taste of dark meat.
Italian seasoning, garlic powder, smoked paprika – The dried spices that are used to season the chicken. If you want to use fresh garlic use 2 cloves grated or minced and add them in with the shallot.
Shallots – Shallots are part of the onion family. They have a milder and slightly sweeter flavor. They also soften faster than yellow onions during cooking.
Corn – I love the sweet pop that the corn adds to the pasta. You can use frozen corn that’s been defrosted, fresh corn, or even grilled corn for an extra smoky flavor.
Pesto – Basil pesto acts as the sauce for the pasta and WOW does it add amazing flavor! You can use refrigerated pesto, jarred, or homemade. I like Gotham Greens and DeLallo.
Parmesan cheese – Salty, nutty, and pairs perfectly with basil pesto. Shred the cheese yourself for the best flavor and texture.
Cream – Heavy cream is what gives this pasta a silky rich flavor and consistency. It’s also labeled as heavy whipping cream. Either can be used.
Tips for Making Creamy Chicken Corn Pasta
- Salt the pasta water generously so that the pasta has lots of flavor.
- Don’t overcook the pasta or it will fall apart when you’re stirring it in with the other ingredients. It should be cooked al dente or a minute less.
- Cut the chicken into similar sized pieces so it cooks evenly and you don’t end up with dry overcooked chicken.
- Use a good quality pesto since this is the main flavoring ingredient for the sauce. I’ve been loving Gotham Greens Classic Pesto.
- If you want that charred corn flavor, but don’t have time to grill fresh corn, use a bag of frozen fire roasted corn.
- When stirring in the parmesan cheese and heavy cream, do it over low heat. This will yield a smooth and silky sauce.
Substitutions and Variations
- Make it vegetarian be omitting the chicken. You can add in additional corn or another vegetable such as zucchini or cherry tomatoes.
- Make the sauce lighter and use half and half instead of heavy cream. Be careful when using half and half that you don’t boil the sauce. Doing this may cause the sauce to break and get curdled.
- Swap parmesan cheese with mozzarella cheese.
- Add toasted pine nuts to the top just before serving for a nutty crunchy texture.
Serving Suggestions
You can definitely serve this pasta on it’s own, but if you enjoy having a salad or side dish try making my Caesar salad, heirloom tomato salad, parmesan pesto roasted cauliflower, or grilled tomatoes with ricotta.
Storage
The leftover corn pasta will keep for 3-4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I don’t recommend freezing the pasta because it will be mushy once defrosted and creamy sauces don’t freeze well.
To reheat the leftovers, you can microwave them or reheat them on the stove in a saucepan. You may want to add an extra dollop of pesto and splash of cream if they pasta appears to be dry. Pasta has a tendency to absorb the sauce the longer it sits.
More Chicken Pasta Recipes
Adding chicken to pasta is one of my favorite ways to boost the protein in it. Here are a few of my favorites that I think you’ll love!
If you make this chicken and corn pastaplease leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love hearing from you and do my best to respond to your comments. And if you’re on Instagram tag @reciperunner so I can see your beautiful creations!
Add the pasta into a pot of boiling salted water and cook until al dente. Drain and set aside.
Coat the chicken with the dried spices, salt and pepper.
Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a large skillet and heat it over medium-high heat. Swirl the skillet so that the bottom is coated in the oil. Dump the chicken into the skillet and spread it into a single layer.
Let the chicken cook for 2-3 minutes without moving it. This will allow it to get a golden brown crust. Flip the chicken over and continue to cook until it’s cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet onto a plate.
Turn the heat down to medium and add the shallots and corn into the skillet. Sauté for 2-3 minutes or until tender. Add the chicken back into the skillet along with the pasta and pesto. Stir everything together until it’s coated in the pesto.
Pour in the heavy cream and parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted and everything is warmed through. Taste for seasoning and add a pinch of salt or a splash of cream if needed.
Garnish with extra parmesan cheese and basil leaves if desired. Serve immediately.
Calories: 507kcalCarbohydrates: 58gProtein: 30gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 637mgPotassium: 655mgFiber: 5gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 675IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 72mgIron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
