Description
This Easy Pheasant Pesto Pasta is a creamy, flavorful dish featuring juicy brined pheasant breasts, tender asparagus, and a rich basil pesto cream sauce served over perfectly cooked fettuccine or spaghetti noodles. Ready in just 30 minutes, it’s a family-friendly meal that’s satisfying and elegant enough for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Poultry
- 6 ounces fettuccine or spaghetti noodles
- 2 boneless, skinless pheasant breasts from 1 bird
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
Vegetables and Sauce
- 6 ounces asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into 2″ pieces
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 Tablespoons basil pesto
Instructions
- Brine the Pheasant: Place the pheasant breasts in a brine for 30 minutes to 2 hours to enhance juiciness and flavor. After brining, remove the pheasant breasts and pat dry using a paper towel.
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the fettuccine or spaghetti noodles according to package instructions, about 12 minutes. Drain once cooked and set aside.
- Cook the Pheasant: Season both sides of the pheasant breasts with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add pheasant and sauté for about 2 minutes per side until fully cooked. Remove from the pan and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice into bite-sized pieces.
- Sauté the Asparagus: Using the same skillet, add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and sauté the asparagus pieces for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally until tender but still crisp.
- Make the Sauce: Pour in the heavy whipping cream and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes to slightly thicken. Stir in the basil pesto, then add the sliced pheasant back to the skillet and cook together for 2 minutes. Season the sauce with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper.
- Combine and Serve: Add the cooked and drained pasta to the skillet with the sauce, tossing well to coat all the noodles evenly. Remove from heat and serve immediately. Optionally, garnish with fresh basil or parsley for added color and fragrance.
Notes
- Pheasant Pesto Pasta is a quick and creamy meal that combines tender pheasant with flavorful basil pesto and asparagus, perfect for a family dinner.
- Brining the pheasant breasts helps keep the meat juicy and tender.
- This recipe can be prepared in about 30 minutes, making it suitable for busy weeknights.
- Feel free to substitute asparagus with green beans or zucchini as preferred.
- Use gluten-free pasta to make this dish gluten-free if needed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 39 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 115 mg
