Pesto Egg Chicken Pasta (Print Version)

Tender chicken and a creamy pesto-egg sauce coat spaghetti for a hearty, vibrant meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 10.5 oz spaghetti or linguine
02 - Salt, for pasta water

→ Chicken

03 - 2 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized strips
04 - 1 tbsp olive oil
05 - 1/2 tsp sea salt
06 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ Pesto Egg Sauce

07 - 3 tbsp basil pesto (store-bought or homemade)
08 - 4 large eggs
09 - 2 tbsp whole milk or cream
10 - 1/4 tsp chili flakes (optional)

→ Toppings

11 - 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
12 - 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
13 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Cooking Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain and set aside.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken strips, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until golden and fully cooked. Remove from skillet and set aside.
03 - Reduce heat to medium. Add basil pesto to the same skillet and let it sizzle for 30 seconds.
04 - Crack eggs directly into the pesto. Let them cook undisturbed for 1 to 2 minutes until the whites begin to set. Gently scramble the eggs, then stir in milk or cream and chili flakes if using. Continue stirring until eggs are creamy and just set.
05 - Add drained pasta and cooked chicken into the skillet. Toss gently, adding reserved pasta water gradually to achieve a silky sauce coating the pasta.
06 - Remove from heat. Stir in half of the Parmesan cheese and half of the torn basil leaves. Plate the pasta and top each serving with the remaining Parmesan, basil, and freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It uses the viral pesto egg trick but turns it into a full hearty meal that actually fills you up.
  • The creamy sauce clings to every strand of pasta without needing heavy cream or complicated reductions.
  • You can have everything on the table in under 40 minutes, even on a weeknight.
  • Leftovers reheat surprisingly well with a splash of milk to bring the sauce back to life.
02 -
  • If you scramble the eggs over high heat, theyll turn rubbery and clump up instead of staying creamy, so keep the heat at medium.
  • Dont skip reserving pasta water—plain water wont help the sauce cling the way that starchy liquid does.
  • Add the Parmesan off the heat or it can seize up and get grainy instead of melting smoothly into the sauce.
03 -
  • Let the chicken rest for a minute after cooking so it stays juicy when you toss it back into the pan.
  • If your pesto is too thick, loosen it with a teaspoon of pasta water before adding the eggs so everything blends smoothly.
  • For extra richness, stir in a small knob of butter at the very end—it makes the sauce shine.
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