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Costco Pesto Chicken Pasta with Rotisserie Chicken

Costco rotisserie chicken tossed with Kirkland pesto, fresh pasta, broccoli, and Parmesan — a 20-minute dinner that tastes like you spent real effort on it.

Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
15 min
Servings
4
Cost / Serving
$3.75

Quick Answer

Cook pasta with broccoli florets in the last 3 minutes, drain, reserve some pasta water, and toss with Costco rotisserie chicken, Kirkland pesto, and Parmesan. Ready in 25 minutes; serves 4 — uses two Costco shortcuts and tastes like real cooking.

Pesto pasta with rotisserie chicken is the Costco weeknight dinner that converts people into regular Costco shoppers. The Kirkland basil pesto is genuinely great — herby, rich, and made with real Parmesan — and the rotisserie chicken turns it into a full meal in 20 minutes. Add a handful of cherry tomatoes and broccoli florets and you have a balanced, completely satisfying dinner.

Instructions

  1. 1

    Cook pasta in heavily salted boiling water per package directions. Add broccoli florets in the last 3 minutes of cooking. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain.

  2. 2

    Return drained pasta and broccoli to the pot over low heat. Add pesto and toss, adding pasta water a splash at a time until the pesto coats everything evenly.

  3. 3

    Add shredded chicken, cherry tomatoes, and Parmesan. Toss gently until everything is warmed through, about 2 minutes.

  4. 4

    Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan and fresh basil.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why add pasta water to pesto pasta?+
Pesto is thick and oil-based — it doesn't naturally cling to pasta. A splash of starchy pasta water emulsifies the oil and creates a sauce that coats every piece evenly. Without it, the pesto pools at the bottom of the bowl. This is the most important technique in pesto pasta.
Can I use store-bought pesto other than Kirkland?+
Kirkland is consistently the best value for a high-quality pesto. Other grocery store pestos often have less basil and more filler. If you can't get to Costco, Barilla and Classico are decent alternatives. Avoid pestos with very long ingredient lists.
What pasta shape works best for pesto?+
Shapes with ridges or curves — fusilli, trofie, penne, or farfalle — hold pesto best. Avoid long flat pasta like fettuccine, which tends to clump when coated with thick pesto.
Can I serve pesto chicken pasta cold?+
Yes — it makes an excellent cold pasta salad. Let it cool, then refrigerate. The pesto will absorb into the pasta and the flavor actually deepens. Add a squeeze of lemon before serving cold to brighten it back up.

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