Description
This Parmesan Zucchini Tomato Chicken Spaghetti is a flavorful and colorful one-pan meal featuring tender chicken breast, sautéed zucchini, sweet cherry tomatoes, and aromatic basil pesto, all tossed with perfectly cooked spaghetti and topped with grated Parmesan cheese. Ready in just 40 minutes, it's a delicious and satisfying dinner option that combines fresh vegetables and protein in a comforting pasta dish.
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 1 zucchini, sliced
- 1 cup red cherry tomatoes, each sliced in half
- 1 cup yellow cherry tomatoes, each sliced in half
Protein
- 1 lb chicken breast, uncooked, sliced
Pantry
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- salt, to taste
- 1/4 cup basil pesto (for chicken)
- 1/4 cup basil pesto (for mixing with pasta)
- 8 oz spaghetti (uncooked, use gluten-free spaghetti for gluten-free version)
Dairy
- 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions
- Sauté zucchini: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the sliced zucchini, sprinkle with salt, and cook, flipping once, for about 5 minutes until soft and slightly browned. Remove the zucchini from the skillet and set aside.
- Cook chicken with pesto: In the same skillet, add 1 teaspoon olive oil and the sliced chicken breast. Season with salt and cook over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, flipping the chicken slices a couple of times until they are cooked through and no longer pink inside. Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup basil pesto with the cooked chicken.
- Cook pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta well.
- Combine and reheat: Add the cooked and drained spaghetti to the skillet with the chicken. Stir in the halved red and yellow cherry tomatoes and the cooked zucchini. Add the remaining 1/4 cup basil pesto, mixing everything thoroughly. Reheat gently over low to medium heat. Adjust seasoning with extra salt or basil pesto if desired. Remove from heat and sprinkle 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese evenly over the pasta mixture in the skillet.
- Serve: Plate the pasta and top individual servings with extra Parmesan cheese if desired. Enjoy immediately.
Notes
- You can substitute gluten-free spaghetti to make this dish gluten-free.
- Adjust the amount of basil pesto to taste for a stronger or milder flavor.
- Use fresh Parmesan cheese for optimal taste and texture.
- The dish is best served immediately after preparing for the freshest flavor and texture.
