Perilla Pesto Chicken Penne
Quick answer
- Total time
- 45 min
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Ingredients
- 10
About this dish
Perilla pesto chicken penne uses Korean perilla leaves and walnuts blended with olive oil into a thick, aromatic pesto that coats penne and thinly sliced seared chicken breast.
Read more
Perilla leaves carry a grassy, slightly bitter fragrance with a faint sesame-like undertone that sets them entirely apart from basil - closer in character to shiso, but with a more pronounced herbal edge. Walnuts add a creamy, substantial body to the pesto and leave a lingering nuttiness after each bite. The chicken breast is seared in olive oil until golden on the outside, then sliced thin so it distributes evenly through the pasta rather than sitting in one heavy portion. Parmesan contributes salt and umami to bind the sauce, and fresh lemon juice cuts through the richness of the oil with enough acidity to keep each forkful from feeling heavy. Penne's hollow tube shape catches pesto inside as well as out, so every bite carries full flavor even when sauce coverage on the surface looks minimal.
Ingredients
As an Amazon Associate, we may earn from qualifying purchases.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Season
Cut 300g chicken breast into 3cm bite-size pieces and pat the surface dry.
Season evenly with 0.5 teaspoon salt and 0.5 teaspoon black pepper, then let it sit for 10 minutes so the seasoning can settle.
- 2Step
Add 30g perilla leaves, 40g walnuts, 25g Parmesan, 3 tablespoons olive oil, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice to a blender.
Pulse in short bursts, scraping the sides as needed, so the pesto turns thick without losing its green color.
- 3Finish
Cook 320g penne in vigorously boiling salted water for 1 minute less than the package time.
Reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining, and keep the penne slightly firm so it can finish in the sauce.
- 4Control
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a pan over medium heat and cook 1 tablespoon minced garlic for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Add the chicken, raise to medium-high heat, and cook 5-6 minutes until golden and fully cooked.
- 5Season
Add the cooked penne and perilla pesto to the pan, then lower the heat to low so the pesto does not darken or separate.
Toss while adding pasta water a little at a time until the sauce coats the outside and inside of the penne.
- 6Finish
Add the remaining 25g Parmesan and toss for 1 more minute until the sauce looks glossy and clings to the pasta.
Check thickness and seasoning, adjust with salt if needed, then plate and serve while warm.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Grassy perilla leaves and walnuts blend into a fragrant pesto for penne and seared chicken.
- Finish cue
- Add the remaining 25g Parmesan and toss for 1 more minute until the sauce looks glossy and clings to the pasta.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
45min, 10 ingredients
Category median
35min, 9 ingredients
Based on 109 recipes
Use-up ingredient planner
Turn these ingredients into two more meals
The overlap excludes basic seasonings. Open the next recipe and your selected dishes will stay with you.
Chicken Caesar Wrap
chicken breast, olive oil
Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad
chicken breast, olive oil
Chicken Milanese
chicken breast, olive oil