Easy 4-Ingredient Pasta with Pesto & Tomatoes Recipe

Healthy 4-Ingredient Pasta with Pesto and Tomatoes - 9 Weight Watchers SmartPoints

5 from 2 votes

Easy 4-Ingredient Pasta with Pesto & Tomatoes Recipe

Simple and delicious, this Weight Watchers friendly healthy 4-ingredient pasta with pesto and tomatoes can be made in the time it takes to cook pasta!

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Total Time20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: easy pesto pasta, pesto chicken pasta, vegetarian pasta

Servings:

Author: Martha McKinnon | Simple Nourished Living

Equipment

Ingredients

8 ounces dried pasta (I used bowties)
10 ounces cherry/grape tomatoes
1/4 cup jarred basil pesto
1 cup chopped cooked lean chicken

Instructions

Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente.
While the pasta is cooking, cook the cherry tomatoes, pesto and chicken in a skillet over medium heat for 4 or 5 minutes, stirring often, until the tomatoes begin to soften.
With a large mug, scoop out 1/2 cup or so of pasta water before draining the pasta and set the water aside.
Drain the pasta and place it back in the pot.
Scrape the tomatoes and pesto mixture into the pasta and toss to coat.
Add pasta water a little at a time if you feel the sauce needs to be thinned a bit.
Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Serve hot.

Notes

Serving size: 1/4th recipe

WW Points: 9

Check the WW Points for this recipe and track it in the WW app.
(Must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.)

9 SmartPoints (Green plan)

9 SmartPoints (Blue plan)

9 SmartPoints (Purple plan)

7 PointsPlus (Old plan)

Variations

Vegetarian: substitute white beans or chick peas for the chicken. Top with a bit of fresh mozzarella or goat cheese.
Low Carb: substitute zucchini noodles or ribbons for the pasta. You can just stir them in with the pesto and tomatoes for a quick and easy one skillet meal.
Different: this is the kind of recipe you can change up in all kinds of ways. Use shrimp or scallops instead of chicken, skip the chicken and and top with fresh mozzarella or goat cheese. Toss in a can of drained artichoke hearts. Use a different kind of pesto - sun dried tomato, cilantro, etc.
Weight Watchers Friendlier - cut the pasta down to 6 ounces and increase the chicken to 2 cups turning this into a heartier pasta dish with just 8 SmartPoints. Use whole grain pasta.

Nutrition