A big bowl of rigatoni coated in homemade basil pesto, with golden chicken thighs and cherry tomatoes cooked just long enough to blister and burst.
Homemade pesto takes five minutes in a food processor and tastes nothing like the jar: bright, fresh and properly garlicky. A couple of bunches of basil is all it takes for four people.
The one thing to watch is heat. Once the pesto goes in, keep the pan on low so the basil stays vivid green instead of turning dark and bitter.
650g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
400g rigatoni
250g cherry tomatoes, halved
70g basil leaves
40g pine nuts (or walnuts)
30g Parmesan, finely grated, plus extra to serve
2 garlic cloves
120ml extra virgin olive oil, for the pesto
1 tbsp olive oil, for the chicken
1 tsp salt, plus black pepper to taste
Method
Make the pesto:
Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until lightly golden, then let them cool.
Pick the leaves from the basil (2 bunches gives roughly 70g for 4 people). Blitz the basil, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan and a pinch of salt in a food processor, then pour in the olive oil and blend until you have a loose, spoonable pesto. Season to taste and set aside.
Cook the chicken:
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat and cook the chicken for 6-8 minutes, turning a few times, until golden and cooked through.
Cook the pasta:
Meanwhile, boil the rigatoni in well-salted water until al dente.
Scoop out a cup of the pasta water before draining.
Add the tomatoes:
Add the cherry tomatoes to the chicken pan and cook for 2-3 minutes until they start to blister and soften.
Add the pesto:
Turn the heat down to low and stir the pesto through the chicken and tomatoes.
Keep the heat low so the basil stays bright green.
Toss with the pasta:
Add the drained rigatoni and a splash of the reserved pasta water, tossing until everything is glossy and coated.
Serve with extra Parmesan and black pepper.
Key Nutrients & Benefits
Chicken thighs make this a genuinely high-protein pasta, and they stay juicy where breast can dry out. Olive oil and pine nuts bring healthy fats and vitamin E, basil adds a fresh hit of vitamin K, and cooked cherry tomatoes are a good source of vitamin C and lycopene.
Smart Swaps & Variations
Walnuts instead of pine nuts: cheaper, slightly earthier, and just as good in pesto.
Chicken breast: works fine, just pull it off the heat as soon as it's cooked through so it doesn't dry out.
Add greens: stir a couple of handfuls of baby spinach or rocket through with the pasta.
Shortcut pesto: short on time? A good-quality jar of basil pesto will do the job.
Meal prep: keeps in the fridge for 3 days and is good cold as a pasta salad. Loosen with a splash of water or olive oil before reheating.
