Crispy Chicken and Broccolini Pesto Linguine

A creamy, sharp parmesan pesto pasta topped with crispy pan seared broccolini and chicken: this Crispy Chicken and Broccolini Pesto Linguine is a compilation of all my favorite things.

I grew up on pesto pasta. I mean, it’s a classic. You’ve got the cold summer pestos with cherry tomatoes, pine nuts, and rotisserie chicken. But, you’ve also got the warm, creamy pestos that are usually tossed up in a longer cut pasta. Honestly, I can’t decide which variety I like best. They’re both delicious. Still, I think it’s safe to say that crispy chicken and veggies are probably two components that pair best with the latter. And, I mean, if golden crispy Panko-coated chicken and sharp, lemony broccolini are on the table, I want in. Hence, I whipped up this Crispy Chicken and Broccolini Pesto Linguine to incorporate all of these amazing flavors and textures into one bowl. And, let me tell you, it’s truly a meal out of heaven.

the breakdown…

This Crispy Chicken and Broccolini Pesto Linguine has a few components to it, but I swear it comes together seamlessly. To start things off, I go ahead and get that chicken prepped for searing. This is pretty much your typical pan-fried breaded chicken, but maybe with a bit less oil. I like to use chicken cutlets for this recipe, as they cook fairly quickly, are the perfect portion for a bowl of pasta, and don’t require any pounding or slicing. That being said, you could also use tenders, slice chicken breasts in half lengthwise, or pound chicken breasts until they’re about 1/2 an inch thin. Regardless, with a flour station for some crisp, some egg to hold things together, and crunchy panko layer, there’s really not much else you could need from a good crispy chicken. Oh, except maybe a bit of salt, pepper, and onion powder for flavor. It’s the best. And feel free to sub any of these ingredients for a gluten free version, if that’s more your thing:)

Once that chicken is ready to go, the first step is actually to cook the broccolini. Broccolini can be very thick, so I like to slice it in half lengthwise AND give it a good amount of time on the stove. So, you might be wondering, “why don’t I just prep the chicken while my broccolini is cooking?” Well, when stir frying broccolini, you really need to make sure you are stirring it often to make sure it doesn’t stick to the surface. If needed, add more oil or even a bit of water as you go. This will help that broccolini cook down but also get super crispy. Finally, with a bit of garlic, salt, pepper, and lemon juice for flavor, this will seriously become your new favorite way to whip up this veg. It’s life changing.

let’s talk about that crispy chicken…

While that stove is still hot, go ahead and get your chicken cooking. The goal is a golden brown exterior and a cooked through center. To achieve this, I recommend trying to only flip your chicken once. In most skillets, the chicken should release itself from the pan when it is ready to be flipped… aka don’t try too hard to flip it when it’s not ready. Plus, in only flipping it once, you are less likely to lose any of that good crisp. If you need to, go ahead and reduce that heat to medium to ensure that the crust doesn’t burn, though. Nobody wants to eat charcoal. They just don’t.

While that’s cooking up, go ahead and toss all of your pesto ingredients into a food processor with half of that sautéed broccolini. If you can’t tell from my other recipes, I love texture — and this Crispy Chicken and Broccolini Pesto Linguine recipe is no different. So, I opted to only throw half of the broccolini into a classic lemony garlicky pesto and save the rest to serve. Different textures and amazing flavors — there’s not much more you could want. Once it’s smooth and creamy (bonus creaminess if you through in some greek yogurt or ricotta!) and toss it up with that linguine. I love linguine for this recipe, as it has a good bit of bite yet isn’t too crazy with all of the other textures. But, instead of linguine, you could also use spaghetti, bucatini, tagliatelle, or any other pasta you would like. You could even mix in some Palmini, or another pasta alternative. Really, when served up with this creamy pesto, some pan fried broccolini, that crispy chicken, and a few nuts for texture, it’s going to be delicious no matter what!

the perfect family dinner!!

I love making this Crispy Chicken and Broccolini Pesto Linguine recipe for a family dinner. I mean, it’s got protein, veggies, and carbs… so it’s practically health food, right?! Better yet, it’s got ALL the flavors and textures you could ever need. So, whether it’s your everyday weeknight or a fancy dinner party, everybody loves this pasta. Keep it simple and serve it up as is, or even jazz things up with a few homemade rolls, some appetizers, and a rosé or two. Either way, this pasta is a game-changer. 

I hope you love this Crispy Chicken and Broccolini Pesto Linguine as much as I do! Let me know what you think in the comments below:)))

Crispy Chicken and Broccolini Pesto Linguine

Recipe by Annie PatrickCourse: Main Course, PastaCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

25

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Total time

55

minutes

A creamy, sharp parmesan pesto pasta topped with crispy pan seared broccolini and chicken: this Crispy Chicken and Broccolini Pesto Linguine is a compilation of all my favorite things.

Ingredients

• crispy chicken:

• 3/4 cup flour

• A pinch of salt and pepper

• 2 tsp onion powder

• 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

• 2 eggs, beaten

• 1 lb chicken breast cutlets*

• broccolini:

• 2 + 1 tbsp olive oil

• 3 heads broccolini, pulled apart (and thinly sliced lengthwise if they have thick stems)

• 4 cloves garlic, finely diced

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• 1 lemon, juiced

• pesto:

• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated

• 3 tbsp pine nuts, walnuts, or almonds*

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 1/4 cup water

• 1 lemon, juiced

• 3 tbsp plain greek yogurt or ricotta cheese, optional for creaminess

• Red pepper flakes, to taste

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• assembly:

• 3/4 lb linguine, prepared according to package*

• Toasted pine nuts, walnuts, or almonds, to serve

Instructions

• In a shallow bowl, whisk the flour, salt, pepper, and onion powder. Pour the beaten eggs into a second shallow bowl, and the panko into a final shallow bowl. Dredge each piece of chicken through the flour mixture, then the eggs, and finally the panko. Set aside for now.
• Boil the linguine according to its package.
• In a large wok or skillet, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, toss in the broccolini and sauté for 6-8 minutes (stirring often), or until it begins to soften. If needed, add more oil or even a bit of water as you go. Toss in the garlic, salt, pepper, and lemon juice and cook for an additional 2 minutes, or until the garlic is fragrant but not burned. Remove the broccolini and juices from the skillet.
• Heat the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat in that same skillet. Once hot, add the coated chicken cutlets to the olive and sear for 5-6 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. Reduce the heat to medium if the exterior begins to burn.
• Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine all of pesto ingredients with HALF of the sautéed broccolini until smooth.
• Back in the skillet over medium heat, toss the linguine with the broccolini pesto. Thin with water or olive oil, as needed. Divide into your bowls and serve with some of the remaining broccolini, crispy chicken, and nuts. Enjoy!

Notes

• You can really use any nut or seed for this pesto recipe — pine nuts, walnuts, and almonds are just my personal preferences.
• If you can’t find chicken breast cutlets, you could also use tenders, slice chicken breasts in half lengthwise, or pound chicken breasts until they’re about 1/2 an inch thin. 
• Instead of linguine, you could also use spaghetti, bucatini, tagliatelle, or any other pasta you would like. You could even mix in some Palmini, or another pasta alternative. All are delicious!