This satisfying pasta dish is tossed with a bright, flavorful green pesto made from creamy cashews, abundant fresh basil, and nutty Parmesan. It’s vibrant, simple to prepare, and delicious—perfect for using up garden basil and pulling together an easy weeknight dinner. Tri-color rotini adds visual interest and a pleasing texture in this basil pesto pasta with chicken.

When the pesto comes together in the food processor, the smell of crushed basil and garlic is irresistible. The aroma is a good sign that the sauce will taste as bright and fresh as it smells.

This pesto showcases vibrant green basil throughout the sauce and the finished dish. Roasted cashews give the sauce a silky richness, and fresh crushed garlic lifts the flavors so they pop. The result is a pasta that looks as good as it tastes.

The pesto is made entirely in the food processor, so it’s fast and virtually hands-off. You’ll only need a skillet to brown the chicken and to toss the pasta together for serving.

I like to make a large skillet so there are leftovers—this pasta is great the next day. It also works well cold or at room temperature, almost like a pasta salad: the herbs, nutty pesto, and texture of the sauce shine even when chilled.

For convenience I use pre-roasted, salted cashews straight from the bag—no toasting required. They blend into a creamy base for the pesto and add subtle crunch when sprinkled on top.

Related: Tomatoey Spinach Chicken Bowtie Pasta

make delicious basil pesto pasta with chicken

Because the cashews and Parmesan both carry salt, season the sauce and chicken lightly at first and adjust to taste. I don’t heavily salt the pasta water for this recipe—the pesto and seasoned chicken provide plenty of flavor. You can always tweak salt and pepper while pulsing the sauce in the food processor.

brown & cook the chicken

In a medium bowl, toss cubed chicken with light pinches of salt and pepper. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a hot skillet and cook the chicken until browned and cooked through, about 8–10 minutes. Work in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pan. Remove the cooked chicken and set aside.

make fresh basil pesto with creamy cashews

Cook a box of your favorite short pasta to al dente. While the pasta cooks, combine roasted cashews, two smashed garlic cloves, and grated Parmesan in the food processor.

Pulse until the mixture reaches a moist, sandy texture.

Add fresh basil and olive oil

Add the fresh basil leaves, replace the lid, and with the motor running, stream in the olive oil. Pulse until the mixture is bright green and evenly combined, adjusting salt and pepper to taste.

Toss the cooked pasta into the skillet with the chicken and pour the fresh pesto over everything.

Stir gently to coat the pasta and chicken; the twists of rotini help the sauce cling to every bite.

Finish with extra grated Parmesan, a scattering of whole or chopped cashews, and a few fresh basil leaves. Serve immediately as a bright, herb-forward weeknight dinner that’s simple and satisfying.

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