This shrimp and chicken pesto pasta is delicious and so easy to prep! Chicken and shrimp are married together with a simple yet tasty homemade spinach pesto. Use spaghetti noodles or linguine and top with Parmesan cheese.

Shrimp and chicken pesto pasta is a delicious dish that combines plump shrimp, moist chicken, and linguine pasta, all tossed together with a flavorful and aromatic spinach-basil pesto sauce.

This shrimp and chicken pesto pasta is an impressive and hearty meal that makes an excellent family dinner. Also, it's really easy to make. Hooray! You're going to love it.

★ Why You'll Love this Recipe ★

There are a lot of things I love about this pesto pasta dish, so I'm going to go ahead and just list them out:

You get a healthy dose of fresh spinach because I use spinach and basil in my homemade pesto sauce. Vitamins ✅
This is such a fragrant dish. Between the seafood smells of cooking shrimp, fresh basil, roasting pine nuts and Parmesan cheese, even if you're not hungry, this gets your taste buds watering.
Pesto is so flavorful. You could spread it on a slice of crusty bread and eat it just like that. You might want to make extra!
Pesto pasta is so versatile! I love the shrimp and chicken combination but you could do one or the other, or leave them both out for a vegetarian dish or serve it as a side dish.
This dish is super easy to prep. I use rotisserie chicken and frozen, de-veined raw shrimp to save time.
The recipe can be doubled or tripled to feed a large group. Perfect for an extended family or friend dinner party.
Extra pesto sauce can be stored in the freezer for up to 4 months.
You can make this dinner even healthier by using zucchini noodles or use spaghetti squash!

I could go on but you get the point. This is a great recipe to have in your regular line-up whether for weeknight dinner or for feeding a crowd.

★ Ingredients You'll Need ★

This tasty dinner is super easy to make using just a handful of ingredients.

Shrimp and Chicken Pesto Pasta Ingredients

Here's what you need:

Pasta. Spaghetti noodles or linguine.
Diced chicken. To save time, I buy this raw but pre-cut.
Raw shrimp. Fresh or frozen, tailed removed and deveined.
Fresh spinach. Frozen works too just be sure to thaw and squeeze excess liquid.
Basil. Fresh basil is best. I like to add a bit of dried basil too for texture, that's optional though!
Garlic. I use garlic paste to save time,.
Pine nuts. Salted or add your own salt.
Parmesan cheese. You can freshly grate yours or use shredded or grated.
Olive oil. You can also use grape seed oil or avocado oil if you prefer.
Sea salt. Add to taste. You can use regular table salt if that's what you have.

★ How to Make this Recipe ★

This delicious pasta dinner is simple to make in just a few steps.

Here's a look at the steps:

How to Make Shrimp and Chicken Pesto Pasta

Toast pine nuts.
Cook and drain pasta.
Blend together pesto sauce ingredients.
Add pesto sauce to pasta.
Cook shrimp.
Cook chicken.
Add chicken, shrimp and Parmesan cheese to pesto pasta and serve.

Simple as that!

★ Tips & FAQs ★

Can I use store-bought pesto for this recipe?

While homemade pesto is always a treat and arguably much better tasting, store-bought pesto will work and saves time. Look for a high-quality pesto sauce in the pasta or condiment aisle of your grocery store.

You can always add some fresh basil to jarred sauce to help freshen it up.

What type of pasta works best for this dish?

You can use any type of pasta you like for shrimp and chicken pesto pasta, but long, thin varieties like spaghetti or fettuccine tend to work particularly well. Their shape allows the pesto sauce to coat each strand of pasta evenly, resulting in a flavorful dish.

Can I make this dish ahead of time?

Shrimp and chicken are generally best enjoyed fresh, you can certainly prepare some components ahead of time to save time on busy evenings. Cook the pasta in advance and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can also prepare the pesto sauce up to 3 days in advance.

Then, cook the chicken and shrimp just before serving. Warm the noodles in the microwave or on the stove top and toss everything together with the pesto sauce. You may need to add a little water to the noodles when reheating if they are dry.

Can I make this dish vegetarian?

Yes. Simply omit the chicken (and shrimp if you'd like) and add your favorite vegetables or plant-based protein instead. Sautéed mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, and spinach are all delicious options that pair well with pesto sauce.

Storing Leftovers

If you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

When you're ready to enjoy them, reheat the pasta gently in the microwave or on the stovetop until heated through, stirring as needed. You may need to add a splash of water or chicken broth to help loosen the sauce.

While you can technically freeze shrimp and chicken pesto pasta, the texture of the pasta and the sauce may change slightly upon thawing, and the shrimp may become rubbery.

If you do decide to freeze leftovers, store them in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating and reheat only just until warmed.

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This shrimp and chicken pesto pasta recipe was featured on South Your Mouth!