A vibrant, 30-minute pesto pasta featuring seared chicken, caramelized zucchini, and fresh tomatoes.
Living in Austin, especially during the long growing season, implies an inevitable abundance of zucchini. Whether it is from my own backyard raised beds or a neighbor dropping off a basket, I am always hunting for ways to use it that don't involve baking bread. This pasta dish has become my favorite solution. It feels incredibly fresh thanks to the raw burst of cherry tomatoes and basil pesto, yet it's substantial enough for dinner because of the protein-packed chicken. It walks the line between a warm pasta dinner and a fresh pasta salad, making it perfect for those transitional Texas evenings.
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The single most important step in this recipe is cooking the zucchini separately from the chicken and sauce. Zucchini has a high water content, and if you try to sauté it alongside the chicken or boil it in the sauce, it will turn into a watery mush that dilutes your pesto. Searing it hard and fast on its own ensures it stays caramelized and flavorful.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Fresh and Fast: By using high-quality store-bought pesto (or homemade if you have it), you cut the prep time significantly, getting dinner on the table in under 30 minutes.
- Texture Contrast: The tender pasta, juicy chicken, soft caramelized zucchini, and the fresh "pop" of the cherry tomatoes create a delightful mix of textures.
- Visual Appeal: Using both red and yellow cherry tomatoes makes this dish look like restaurant-quality confetti in a bowl-perfect for impressing guests.
- Balanced Nutrition: You get your carbs, lean protein, and a healthy dose of vegetables all in one bowl without needing side dishes.
Ingredients
- Chicken Breast: 1 lb boneless, skinless breasts, sliced into strips. You want them bite-sized for easy eating.
- Zucchini: 1 medium zucchini, sliced into rounds. Keep the slices about ¼ inch thick so they hold their shape.
- Spaghetti: 8 oz of dried spaghetti. Gluten-free pasta works perfectly here if needed; just watch the cooking time closely.
- Basil Pesto: ½ cup total, divided. The quality of the pesto defines the dish, so choose a refrigerated brand with a vibrant green color rather than a shelf-stable jar.
- Tomatoes: 1 cup red cherry tomatoes and 1 cup yellow cherry tomatoes. Slicing them in half allows them to warm through slightly without breaking down completely.
- Parmesan Cheese: ⅓ cup grated, plus more for serving.
- Olive Oil: Divided for searing the vegetables and the chicken.
How to Make Parmesan Zucchini Chicken Spaghetti
Caramelizing the Zucchini
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. You want the pan hot enough to sear. Add the sliced zucchini in a single layer (do it in batches if necessary) and sprinkle with salt. Cook for about 5 minutes, flipping once, until the rounds are golden brown and soft but not falling apart. Remove them from the skillet and set aside on a plate.
Cooking the Chicken
In the same skillet-don't wash it, that flavor is good-add a teaspoon of olive oil and the sliced chicken breast. Season with salt. Cook over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, flipping the pieces occasionally to ensure even browning. Once the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink, remove the pan from the heat. Immediately stir in ¼ cup of the basil pesto to coat the hot chicken. This helps the meat absorb the garlic and basil flavors as it rests.
Boiling the Pasta
While the chicken cooks, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta, but as always, I recommend saving a small mug of the cooking water just in case you need to loosen the sauce later.
Assembly
Add the drained spaghetti directly into the skillet with the pesto-coated chicken. Add the cooked zucchini and the halved red and yellow cherry tomatoes. Pour in the remaining ¼ cup of basil pesto. Turn the heat to low-medium and gently toss everything together until warmed through. You aren't trying to cook the tomatoes down, just warm them up. Taste and add salt if needed.
Finishing Touches
Remove the skillet from the heat. Sprinkle the grated Parmesan cheese over the pasta and toss one last time. The residual heat will melt the cheese into the pesto, creating a creamy coating. Serve immediately with extra cheese on the side.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Overcooking the Zucchini: If you cook the zucchini until it is translucent, it will dissolve when you toss the pasta. Aim for "tender-crisp" with nice brown spots.
- Cooking the Tomatoes: The tomatoes are meant to be fresh and bright, not stewed. Add them at the very end. If you cook them too long, the skins separate, and the dish becomes watery.
- Rinsing the Pasta: Never rinse your spaghetti! The starch on the noodles helps the pesto cling to them. If you rinse it, the sauce will slide right off.
Tips and Tricks for Success
Room Temperature Pesto If you keep your pesto in the fridge, take it out when you start cooking. Cold pesto can shock the hot pasta and chicken, making the oil separate or the cheese clump.
Slice Chicken Uniformly To ensure your chicken remains juicy, slice the breast against the grain into strips of equal thickness. This ensures they all finish cooking at the same time so you don't end up with some dry pieces and some raw ones.
The "Al Dente" Rule Since you will be tossing the pasta in the skillet with the warm ingredients for a minute or two, drain the spaghetti 1 minute before the package says it's done. It will finish cooking in the residual heat of the pan.
Variations
- Add Spinach: If you want even more greens, toss a handful of baby spinach in with the hot pasta during assembly. It will wilt instantly.
- Protein Swap: This works beautifully with shrimp. Sauté shrimp for 3 minutes instead of the chicken-pesto and shrimp are best friends.
- Creamy Pesto: If you prefer a creamier sauce, stir in two tablespoons of heavy cream or a dollop of mascarpone when you add the second batch of pesto.
How to Serve
This is a complete one-bowl meal, but it pairs nicely with some garlic bread to scoop up any oil left at the bottom of the bowl. A glass of Pinot Grigio or a light Italian white wine complements the herbal notes of the basil perfectly.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheating: Pesto pasta can get oily when reheated in the microwave. It is best to reheat this in a skillet over low heat with a splash of water. If you must microwave, do it at 50% power in short bursts. Freezing: I do not recommend freezing this dish. Zucchini does not freeze well after being cooked, and the texture will be unpleasant upon thawing.
Recipe Notes / What I Learned
I learned that adding the pesto in two stages is crucial. Coating the chicken first ensures the protein is flavorful on its own, while the second addition coats the pasta. If you add it all at once at the end, the chicken can taste a bit plain inside.
Nutrition Snapshot
Estimated per serving: 520 calories, 28g protein, 45g carbohydrates, 24g fat.
Parmesan Zucchini Tomato Chicken Spaghetti
Equipment
- 1 Large skillet
- 1 Large pot for pasta
Ingredients
Group: Chicken & Zucchini
- 1 tablespoon olive oil for zucchini
- 1 zucchini, sliced
- salt for zucchini and chicken
- 1 teaspoon olive oil for chicken
- 1 lb chicken breast, uncooked, sliced
Group: Pasta and Assembly
- ¼ cup basil pesto for coating chicken
- 8 oz spaghetti, uncooked (use gluten free spaghetti, for gluten free version)
- 1 cup red cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- 1 cup yellow cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- ¼ cup basil pesto for pasta toss
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions
- Heat **1 tablespoon** olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat until hot. Add sliced zucchini, sprinkle with salt, and cook, on medium-high heat, for about **5 minutes**, flipping once, until the zucchini is soft and slightly browned. Remove zucchini from the skillet.
- To the same skillet, add **one teaspoon** of olive oil and sliced chicken breast. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and cook on medium heat for about **5-7 minutes**, flipping chicken slices a couple of times, until the chicken is cooked through. Remove from heat, and stir in **¼ cup** of basil pesto with the chicken slices.
- In a large pot, bring water to boil, add spaghetti, and cook until **al dente**. Drain pasta. Add cooked and drained pasta to the skillet with the cooked chicken. Add red and yellow cherry tomatoes (each one sliced in half). Add back cooked zucchini. Add another **¼ cup** of basil pesto, stir everything together, and reheat gently on low-medium heat. Taste and add extra basil pesto and extra salt, if needed. Remove from heat. Sprinkle **⅓ cup** of grated Parmesan cheese over the pasta in the skillet. When serving, sprinkle each individual serving plate with extra Parmesan, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
FAQs
Can I use spiralized zucchini instead of sliced?
Yes! If you want to cut carbs, you can replace half (or all) of the spaghetti with zucchini noodles (zoodles). Just remember that zoodles release a lot of water, so eat them immediately after tossing.
My pesto is too thick, how do I thin it?
Use the reserved pasta water! A tablespoon or two of that starchy, salty water will thin the pesto into a silky sauce that coats the noodles perfectly without making them greasy.
