Chicken Pesto Pasta made with homemade pesto sauce comes together lightning fast for a delicious balanced meal. The perfect filling weeknight meal for those times you need dinner on the table in a jiffy!
For all those times you’re looking for the quickest, easiest dinner recipe that contains a balance of protein, carbohydrates and healthy fats, this chicken pesto pasta is gold!
Back in my college days, I made easy pasta recipes like this regularly. Checking all the boxes of delicious, nutritious, easy and affordable, I find this chicken pesto pasta to be everything I’m looking for in a complete meal.
It comes together lightning fast! We’re talking 30 minutes or less. It can also be made in huge batches for meal prepping weeknight dinners or weekday lunches.
You can even save time by using store-bought pesto sauce or rotisserie chicken!
Boasting fresh herby flavor from the pesto sauce with the classic nutty parmesan flavors, this chicken pesto pasta recipe makes the ultimate comfort food!
Let’s discuss the simple ingredients for Chicken Pesto Pasta! The great news is you can find the full list of ingredients at any grocery store.
Chicken Pesto Pasta Ingredients:
Olive Oil or Avocado Oil: Use your favorite oil for cooking to brown the chicken. I like using avocado oil because it is ideal for cooking at high temperatures.
Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs: The protein portion of this well-balanced meal, we need boneless chicken thighs.
If you prefer using boneless skinless chicken breasts, feel free to make the switch.
I like the flavor and texture of thighs in this healthy pasta recipe, but skinless breasts work great if you prefer them.
Pasta Noodles: Pick your favorite type of pasta noodles! I use gluten-free pasta, and for this rendition I used chickpea pasta spirals.
My typical favorite gluten-free pastas are made with either brown rice or chickpeas.
One of the reasons I like using pastas made with brown rice or chickpeas is I prefer eating complex carbohydrates over simple carbohydrates when possible.
There is also additional protein in chickpea pasta, which is an added bonus.
If you don’t follow a gluten-free diet, use regular pasta noodles. Any shape will work. Penne pasta and pasta spirals are my favorite, but angel hair pasta, pasta shells, macaroni noodles? Use them!
Basil Pesto Sauce Ingredients: Fresh Basil, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, and fresh garlic are the typical ingredients to make a classic pesto recipe. This combination of ingredients makes refreshing, flavorful pesto that is just impossible to beat!
There are many ways you can customize this easy recipe. Here are some options!
Recipe Adaptations:
- Add fresh vegetables to the pasta, such as cherry tomatoes, onion, fresh garlic cloves, broccoli, fresh spinach, asparagus, green beans, or peas.
- Make it a creamy pesto chicken pasta recipe by adding 1/4 cup to 2/3 cup of heavy cream (to your desired creaminess) to the pesto sauce or to the skillet at the end of cooking. I prefer making creamy pesto sauce rather than adding the heavy cream at the end.
- Use walnuts or pecans in the pesto sauce instead of pine nuts.
- Swap avocado oil for the olive oil. I often do this!
- Make it dairy-free by omitting the Parmesan cheese. The pesto sauce still tastes great without it!
- If you enjoy other fresh herbs in pesto, feel free to use them instead of basil or in addition to it. Fresh parsley, fresh cilantro, or carrot greens or beet greens work too. You can always add Italian seasoning for extra herby flavor.
- Cook the noodles in chicken broth instead of water for added flavor.
- Love sun-dried tomatoes? Add 2/3 cup of drained sun-dried tomatoes to the pasta, or you can even add them to the pesto sauce.
- To save time, use store-bought pesto sauce. You will need 1 cup of sauce, or the amount that you enjoy. Or, use your own pesto sauce recipe.
- Save time by using leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken instead of raw chicken.
- Want to know how to turn this into a one pot pasta recipe? Ask me in the comments section and I will provide instructions.
- Serve this easy pesto chicken pasta recipe chilled as a pasta salad.
Now that we’ve covered the simple ingredients for easy chicken pesto pasta, let’s make it!
How to Make Chicken Pesto Pasta:
Begin by preparing the homemade pesto sauce.
Add all of the ingredients for the pesto sauce except for the olive oil to a food processor.
Pulse until the ingredients are finely chopped.
Leaving the food processor on, slowly pour the olive oil through the hole in the top until it is all combined.
For thinner pasta sauce, add more oil. You can taste the sauce for flavor and add sea salt, black pepper, lemon juice or lemon zest, or red pepper flakes for some heat.
Set pesto sauce aside until ready to use. Note: this recipe will keep in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, so feel free to make it ahead of time.
Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package. I always cook pasta a couple minutes less than indicated on the package for perfect al dente noodles.
Once cooked, drain the pasta into a colander. While the noodles are cooking, prepare the chicken.
Chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat (or medium heat if your stove top is assertive on the heat scale). Add the chopped chicken thighs and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6-8 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked.
Transfer the cooked pasta noodles and the pesto sauce to the skillet with the cooked chicken.
Stir well to combine. Taste the pasta for flavor and add sea salt, black pepper, lemon juice, extra Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, etc.
serve pasta in big bowls and enjoy!
Storage Instructions:
- Refrigerator: Store leftover pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can separate the pasta into individual servings for grab and go easy meals.
- Freezer: You can also freeze pasta in a large freezer bag or a large zip lock for up to 3 months. This simple pasta recipe makes a great freezer meal.
The next time you’re craving a feel-good meal that gets the job done in a jiffy, whip up this quick chicken pesto pasta recipe!
It’s a great recipe the whole family can enjoy and ideal for meal prepping as it saves very well. Plus, it tastes even better the next day and the 2-3 days following preparation!
I love this easy pasta recipe or the times I’m particularly active and need to replenish carbs, or for any time I’m craving pasta.
The best part about this pasta recipe is it requires minimal effort, making it ideal for busy nights, but is delicious enough to serve for special occasions as well.
If you love healthier pasta recipes, also try these reader favorites.
More Gluten-Free Pasta Recipes:
- Creamy Chicken Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta
- 30-Minute Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Creamy Chicken Pasta
- Mediterranean Shrimp Pasta
- Rigatoni Pasta with Bolognese Sauce
- Chicken Sausage Pesto Pasta
- Baked Feta Pasta
Chicken Pesto Pasta for instant gratification!
Chicken Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp avocado oil
- 1 to 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 8 ounces pasta noodles*
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients for the pesto sauce except for the olive oil to a food processor. Pulse until the ingredients are finely chopped. Leaving the food processor on, slowly pour the olive oil through the hole in the top until it is all combined. For thinner pasta sauce, add more oil. You can taste the sauce for flavor and add sea salt, black pepper, lemon juice or lemon zest, or red pepper flakes for some heat. Set pesto sauce aside until ready to use. Note: this recipe will keep in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, so feel free to make it ahead of time.
- Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package. I always cook pasta a couple minutes less than indicated on the package for perfect al dente noodles. Once cooked, drain the pasta into a colander. While the noodles are cooking, prepare the chicken.
- Chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat (or medium heat if your stove top is assertive on the heat scale). Add the chopped chicken thighs and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6-8 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked.
- Transfer the cooked pasta noodles and the pesto sauce to the skillet with the cooked chicken. Stir well to combine. Taste the pasta for flavor and add sea salt, black pepper, lemon juice, extra Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, etc.
- serve pasta in big bowls and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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