When you need a delicious dinner in a pinch, pasta is always a great choice. And this pesto pasta with sun dried tomatoes is a nice break from the traditional red sauce we all love.
This recipe is definitely a keeper – we all loved it. If you are like me, finding a recipe that the whole family enjoys is always a big success! Even my big college boy Clark loved it – he ate up all the leftovers for lunch today (although he did pick out most of the sun-dried tomatoes!)
I used a penne pasta but feel free to use your favorite pasta shape. You can also switch out the bacon for pancetta if you prefer but I always have bacon on hand. I grilled the chicken breast but any leftover cooked chicken would work too. You can have this dinner ready in as much time as it takes to boil the water and cook the pasta.
This recipe can be as easy as you want it to be. I used a jarred pesto but you can also make your own with this pesto recipe if you have a bumper crop of basil. Make it ahead and freeze it so you always have it on hand. I often will make my own sun dried or roasted tomatoes using the instructions here, especially in August and September when the tomato crop in my garden seems to be non stop but you can also buy and use jarred sun dried tomatoes. I prefer the kind that come packed in liquid so that they are soft. If you buy the dried ones you will need to soak them to soften them up.
Add in some freshly grated Parmesan cheese you have a delicious dinner the whole family will love.
Some of my other favorite pasta recipes:
My favorite kitchen tools I use to make Pesto Pasta:
PASTA POT – perfect for cooking pasta or steaming vegetables
PASTA/SALAD BOWLS – these pretty white bowls work for pasta, salad or soup.
5 QT. NON STICK FRYING PAN – this is my go to frying pan. The one I use more than any other. I love that it has a lid.
Pesto Pasta Recipe
A deliciously easy pesto pasta dish with sun dried tomatoes.
- 8 oz. pasta cooked al dente
- 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes cut up
- 1/4 cup Italian parsley roughly chopped
- 1 clove garlic roughly chopped
- 2-3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 2-3 slices bacon chopped (or pancetta)
- 2 cups chicken breast cooked and diced
- 4-5 Tbsp. pesto
- Parmigiano reggiano cheese shaved
- sea salt
- cracked pepper
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Boil pasta in a stock pot for 8 minutes
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Drain and rinse with cold water
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Set aside
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Heat a skillet over medium high heat and cook bacon or pancetta
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When halfway cooked, add the olive oil and garlic
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Saute for 30 seconds
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Add the cooked chicken
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Add the pasta and sun-dried tomatoes
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Toss to coat
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Add the pesto, using more or less dependig on your taste
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Season with salt and pepper
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Remove skillet from heat and stir in the parsley
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Shave parmigiano reggiano over top
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I love your website! So many of the recipes look fabulous and I LOVE your pictures of them! Awesome job!!!
Yum…this looks right up my alley. Can’t wait to try it!
Leigh Anne-
This looks very yummy! I love PASTA and sun-dried tomatoes. I make my own pesto, so I’ll have to try this. I bet you could add chicken to this too! Thanks for sharing! And for the great photo…now I’m hungry!!
You are talking my language girl!
This looks so good… I think I even have most of the ingredients on hand. Yummy…
I came across your blog the other day when my sister Missy from fairy child he
oooopppps! I accidently clicked on submit before I was done. Anyway, my increadibly talented sister Missy is the creater and designer of fairy child heilooms. So I was directed to your blog from her. I am in love with your blog and recipes. Your photos are amazing!!!!Please tell me what camera and settings do you use for your food photos? I was so excited on Valentine’s day when my husband gave me a new KODAK Easy Share 12 megapxl camera from Costco, but I have so much trouble getting good photos to come out clear. Please help!!
Hanne »
To answer your question about the camera – I use a Nikkon D40x. I was a Cannon user for years but recently switched and I LOVE my camera. One of the most important parts of taking a great picture though is your lighting. I try to take all my photos in natural light, no flash and no overhead light. That is getting harder and harder as daylight gets shorter and shorter!! Thanks for entering the giveaway