Chicken and Shrimp Pesto Pasta

Name: Chicken and Shrimp Pesto Pasta
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 85 min
Total time: 105 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 2 chicken breasts; 12 jumbo shrimp; 16 oz pasta; 1 cup pesto sauce; 1/2 cup olive oil; 1 tbsp lemon juice; 4 cloves garlic, smashed; 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 1 tsp onion powder; 1 tsp garlic powder; 1 pinch red pepper flakes

This chicken and shrimp pesto pasta is a hearty, flavor-packed dinner with juicy marinated chicken, tender shrimp, and pasta tossed in rich basil pesto. It is an easy restaurant-style meal for busy weeknights, but special enough to serve for guests.

Servings6 Portions

Prep Time20 Mins

Cook Time85 Mins

Difficulty

Intermediate

Ingredients

chicken breasts
2
jumbo shrimp
12
pasta
16 oz
pesto sauce
1 cup
olive oil
0.5 cup
lemon juice
1 tbsp
garlic, smashed
4 cloves
salt
1 tsp
black pepper
0.5 tsp
onion powder
1 tsp
garlic powder
1 tsp
red pepper flakes
1 pinch

Step-by-Step Instructions

Make the marinade by whisking together the olive oil, lemon juice, smashed garlic, salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness, then lightly score each breast with a few shallow cuts. Add the chicken and peeled, deveined shrimp to a zip-top bag, pour in the marinade, and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 1 hour, flipping the bag halfway through.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. While the water heats, cook the chicken in a hot skillet over medium-high heat until golden and cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes per side depending on thickness. Transfer to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes.

Cook the shrimp in the same skillet for 1 to 2 minutes per side, just until pink and opaque. At the same time, boil the pasta according to package directions until al dente, then drain, reserving a small splash of pasta water if needed. Cut the rested chicken into bite-size pieces.