Family Friendly

Creamy Pesto Pasta

with Squash & Spinach

35 MIN

+$3.99/serving 2 Servings

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add Boneless Chicken Breast Pieces

From the Test Kitchen

In this comforting pasta dish, sweet butternut squash is roasted in the oven before being stirred into ruffle-edged mafalda pasta along with fresh spinach and our verdant basil pesto. It all gets topped with a sprinkle of savory parmesan to finish.
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Nutrition

PER SERVING
Calories

900 Cals (est.)

View Full Nutrition

fresh

ingredients

10 oz Boneless Chicken Breast Pieces
6 oz Mafalda Pasta
½ lb Diced Butternut Squash
¼ tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
⅓ cup Basil Pesto
¼ cup Cream
3 oz Baby Spinach
¼ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 Shallot Or Red Onion

step-by-step

instructions

Cook Along

1 Prepare & roast the squash

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven; preheat to 450°F. Fill a medium pot 3/4 of the way up with salted water; cover and heat to boiling on high. Line a sheet pan with foil. Place the squash on the foil; drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat and arrange in an even layer. Roast 21 to 23 minutes, or until lightly browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven.

2 Cook the pasta

Meanwhile, add the pasta to the pot of boiling water. Cook, stirring occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes, or until al dente (still slightly firm to the bite). Turn off the heat. Reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water, drain thoroughly and return to the pot.

3 Cook the chicken

Meanwhile, pat the chicken dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper. In a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned chicken in an even layer. Cook, without stirring, 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly browned. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until browned and cooked through. Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a plate.

4 Cook the spinach

Wash and dry the spinach. Peel and thinly slice the shallot or onion. In the pan of reserved fond, heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the sliced shallot or onion and as much of the red pepper flakes as you'd like, depending on how spicy you'd like the dish to be; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until softened. Add the spinach. Cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until combined and the spinach is wilted. Turn off the heat.

5 Finish the pasta & serve your dish

To the pot of cooked pasta, add the cooked chicken, cooked spinach, roasted squash, pesto, cream, and half the reserved pasta cooking water. Cook on medium-high, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes, or until combined and the pasta is coated (if necessary, gradually add the remaining cooking water to ensure the pasta is thoroughly coated). Turn off the heat. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve the finished pasta garnished with the cheese. Enjoy!