Let’s make some delicious Crispy Chicken to go with creamy pesto pasta! Trust me, this meal is worth the extra effort, especially for Valentine’s Day. Pasta is always a great dinner idea, especially when it’s mixed with pesto and served with crispy parmesan chicken! The pesto pasta is incredibly creamy, bursting with freshness, and the crispy chicken takes it to a whole new level. Even the pickiest eaters won’t be able to resist going back for seconds.
Pesto Pasta With Crispy Parmesan Chicken
Ingredients
**Creamy Pesto Sauce:**
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons finely minced garlic
- 3/4 cup pesto
- 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese add more to taste
- 2 tablespoons cream cheese
- Red pepper flakes salt, and black pepper to taste
**Other Ingredients:**
- 16 ounces pasta any shape you like
- 2 chicken breasts halved
- Oil for frying
**Wet Batter:**
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
**Dry Batter:**
- 1/3 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
**Crispy Chicken:**
- Prepare the wet batter by whisking together the egg, Italian seasoning, grated parmesan, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl.
- In a separate bowl, combine plain breadcrumbs, Panko breadcrumbs, grated parmesan, Italian seasoning, oregano, dried parsley, salt, and black pepper.
- Dip each chicken breast half into the wet batter, letting any excess drip off, then coat it well in the dry breadcrumb mixture. Repeat for all chicken pieces and let them rest for 10 minutes.
- Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan. We’ll be shallow frying, so you don’t need too much oil.
- Once the oil is hot, fry the chicken on each side until golden and cooked through. Fry in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Transfer the cooked chicken to a wire rack to drain excess oil.
**Creamy Pesto Sauce:**
- In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and sauté the garlic for a minute or two.
- Add the pesto and heavy cream, and bring to a simmer.
- Stir in the cream cheese and plenty of grated parmesan until the cheese is fully melted and incorporated.
- Season the sauce with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste.
**Pasta:**
- Boil the pasta according to package instructions in salted water. Drain when done and toss in the creamy pesto sauce.
- Chop the crispy chicken and serve it on top of the pasta. Enjoy your delicious meal while it’s warm!