Chicken Pesto Pasta
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This Chicken Pesto Pasta is so fresh, delicious and so easy to make. Made with pre-cooked shredded chicken, creamy pesto, gluten-free pasta, plump and juicy cherry tomatoes, and freshly grated parmesan cheese. Perfect dish for a quick and light dinner or even for a summer picnic.
Chicken Pesto Pasta
If you are looking for an easy and quick, yet satisfying dinner, look no further than this fresh Chicken and Pesto Pasta. Made with pre-cooked shredded chicken, creamy pesto, gluten-free pasta, plump and juicy cherry tomatoes, and freshly grated parmesan cheese. Perfect dish for a quick and light dinner or even for a summer picnic.
We use our Classic Homemade Pesto to make this recipe. Store-bought works too but homemade is much tastier and fresh. We also like to use our Easy Flavorful Shredded Chicken but you can also use rotisserie chicken. Use any kind of pasta whether it’s gluten-free or regular. This recipe is so easy to make and comes together in no time.
Ingredients Chicken Pesto Pasta:
- Pasta– I like using gluten-free fusilli pasta for this recipe.
- Pesto– My homemade pesto is the best for this recipe.
- Shredded Chicken– I like using my recipe but rotisserie works great too.
- Parmesan Cheese– Freshly grated tastes best.
- Cherry Tomatoes– Adds flavor and a pop of color to the dish.
- Spices– Pink sea salt and black pepper.
- Lemon Juice– Elevates the flavors and adds freshness to the pasta.
Equipment Chicken Pesto Pasta:
- Large Pot– To boil the pasta in.
- Mixing Bowls– A large one and a small one.
How to make Chicken Pesto Pasta:
- Step 1– Fill up a large pot with 3-4 quarts of water. Add a lot of salt and mix until most of the salt has dissolved. Place on stovetop on high heat and bring to a boil. Once water starts boiling, add in pasta. Give it a stir and allow it to boil until al-dente. Follow cooking time according to package instructions. Depending on what kind of pasta you are using, cooking times may vary. Drain pasta (reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water) and add in a large mixing bowl. Allo pasta to cool-off.
- Step 2– While pasta is cooling-off, prep the rest of ingredients. Slice cerry tomatoes is half, shred chicken if you haven’t yet, grate parmesan cheese and measure put 1/2 cup. In a small mixing bowl, mix together pesto and reserved pasta water.
- Step 3– Drizzle pesto mixture over cooked pasta and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix everything together. Toss in parmesan cheese making sure it’s well combined with the pasta. Add in cherry tomatoes and give pasta another toss. Drizzle with lemon juice and mix evetyhing together one last time.
- Step 4– Place pasta in the fridge for 20 minutes to 1 hour at least to chill. This pasta is better served chilled. Serve and garnish with more parmesan cheese and basil if desired. Enjoy!
Tips and Substitutions:
- Follow package cooking instructions- Gluten-free pasta cooks differently from regular pasta. In addition, different gluten-free pastas cook differently from others. This varies depending on the brand, type of gluten-free flour, etc. Make sure to follow package instructions on how to cook the gluten-free pasta you’re using for cooking it al-dente.
- Salt your water- This adds flavor to your pasta.
- Drizzle a bit of oil on your cooked pasta once it’s drained and rinsed- Gluten-free pasta tends to clump up and stick together as it cools-down. Drizzling a bit of oil over it and stirring wile it’s still hot will prevent it from sticking together. I like to use extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil for this.
- Use any shredded chicken for this recipe- Use this flavorful shredded chicken, rotisserie chicken. or any leftover over chicken you may have.
- Place pasta in the fridge for 20 minutes to 1 hour at least or overnight- This pasta is better served chilled.
Variations:
- Switch up your protein– This recipe is great with chicken. However, you can also use shrimp as a substitute.
- Make it dairy-free– Use dairy-free parmesan or nutritional yeast.
- Make it vegetarian– Omit the chicken and add veggies such as asparagus, zucchini, broccoli, peas, carrots, cauliflower, etc.
- Make it vegan– Use tofu for a vegan protein. Substitute parmesan cheese with nutritional yeast or a dairy-free parmesan.
What to serve Chicken Pesto Pasta with:
This pasta makes for a light and wholesome meal all on its own. I love serving it topped with freshly grated parmesan cheese. You can serve with some sides for more of a full meal if you wish.
- Green Salad– A basic green salad is always great with any pasta dish.
- Garlic Bread– Goes so well with this chicken pesto pasta.
- Steamed Veggies– Such as broccoli, green beans, asparagus, etc.
Chicken Pesto Pasta FAQ’s:
What type of pasta should I use?
I like using fusilli pasta but you can use any desired small pasta you’d like. Penne, Farfalle, or even Rigatoni are all great.
Is this recipe gluten-free?
Yes. As long as you’re using gluten-free certified pasta, the whole dish is gluten-free.
Is this pasta better served hot or cold?
I prefer serving this pasta cold, especially because it makes for a perfect picnic dish. However, if you prefer to serve it hot, it will be just as delicious.
Should I use homemade or store-bought pesto?
You can use either homemade or store-bought pesto. However, homemade pesto does have more of a fresh flavor and will elevate the whole pasta.
Meal Prepping it:
This Chicken Pesto Pasta is meal prep “gold”. I know that’s not a thing, but seriously, you will want to add this pasta to your meal prep rotation. Especially if you like to make “make ahead lunches” for work or school. We love to make this pasta for picnics or beach days. But that’s not to say it’s not a great idea to use as meal prep for regular everyday meals.
This recipe is super easy and quick to make, calls for a few ingredients, and makes a decent batch. It also holds well in the fridge for a good 3-4 days. Use rotisserie chicken to make it even easier or if you have any leftover chicken throw it in there. Again, use it to make lunches for the week ahead, or for quick light summer dinners.
Storing Chicken Pesto Pasta:
Place any leftover chicken pesto pasta in an airtight container such as a Tupperware dish. Keep your pasta refrigerated for up to 3-4 days.
Did you like this Chicken Pesto Pasta recipe? You may also like these other pasta recipes:
- Sausage and Peppers Pasta
- Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs (Gluten-Free)
- Classic Macaroni Salad (Gluten-Free)
- Easy Veggie Pasta Salad (with Easy Homemade Italian Dressing)
- Seafood Scampi with Pasta
- Fettuccine Pumpkin Alfredo With Sage Chicken
Chicken Pesto Pasta
This Chicken Pesto Pasta is so fresh, delicious and so easy to make. Made with pre-cooked shredded chicken, creamy pesto, gluten-free pasta, plump and juicy cherry tomatoes, and freshly grated parmesan cheese. Perfect dish for a quick and light dinner or even for a summer picnic.
Ingredients
To Cook Pasta:
- 12 oz uncooked pasta
- 4-5 quarts water
- pink sea salt
To assemble:
- 1 cup pesto
- 2 cups shredded chicken
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup whole cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 tsp pink sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
Fill up a large pot with 3-4 quarts of water. Add a lot of salt and mix until most of the salt has dissolved. Place on stovetop on high heat and bring to a boil. Once water starts boiling, add in pasta. Give it a stir and allow it to boil until al-dente. Follow cooking time according to package instructions. Depending on what kind of pasta you are using, cooking times may vary. Drain pasta (reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water) and add in a large mixing bowl. Allo pasta to cool-off.
While pasta is cooling-off, prep the rest of ingredients. Slice cerry tomatoes is half, shred chicken if you haven't yet, grate parmesan cheese and measure put 1/2 cup. In a small mixing bowl, mix together pesto and reserved pasta water.
Drizzle pesto mixture over cooked pasta and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix everything together. Toss in parmesan cheese making sure it's well combined with the pasta. Add in cherry tomatoes and give pasta another toss. Drizzle with lemon juice and mix evetyhing together one last time.
Place pasta in the fridge for 20 minutes to 1 hour at least to chill. This pasta is better served chilled. Serve and garnish with more parmesan cheese and basil if desired. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- Follow package cooking instructions- Gluten-free pasta cooks differently from regular pasta. In addition, different gluten-free pastas cook differently from others. This varies depending on the brand, type of gluten-free flour, etc. Make sure to follow package instructions on how to cook the gluten-free pasta you’re using for cooking it al-dente.
- Salt your water- This adds flavor to your pasta.
- Drizzle a bit of oil on your cooked pasta once it’s drained and rinsed- Gluten-free pasta tends to clump up and stick together as it cools-down. Drizzling a bit of oil over it and stirring wile it’s still hot will prevent it from sticking together. I like to use extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil for this.
- Use any shredded chicken for this recipe- Use this flavorful shredded chicken, rotisserie chicken. or any leftover over chicken you may have.
- Place pasta in the fridge for 20 minutes to 1 hour at least or overnight- This pasta is better served chilled.
*Number of total servings in estimated. Actual number of servings may vary depending on your own personal preference in portion sizes.
**Nutritional values shown are general guidelines for 1 serving using the ingredients listed above. These numbers do not reflect and may vary depending on substitutions, additions and/or different brands and/or other ingredients that may be used.
**Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links and sponsored content. All the opinions are my own and I only recommend products I use in my own home with my own family.
