Gluten Free Chicken Pesto Pasta is a delicious and healthy dish that combines tender chicken pieces with a flavorful basil pesto sauce, all tossed with gluten free pasta. It's a perfect meal for those who need to avoid gluten but still crave a hearty and satisfying pasta dish.
Pesto is such a delicious component to any meal, especially this Sheet Pan Sausage and Potatoes or these Easy Caprese Crostini!
Looking for more gluten free chicken dishes? Check out this Creamy Baked Feta Chicken, Gluten Free Chicken Parmesan or some Gluten Free Hamburger Helper!
🔍 Quick Look: Gluten Free Chicken Pesto Pasta
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 5 minutes
- 🍳 Cook Time: 15 minutes
- 🕒 Total Time: 20 minutes
- 👥 Servings: 4
- 📊 Calories: ~862
- 🔥 Cook Method: Stove-top based
- 👩🍳 Main Ingredients: Pesto and pasta.
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy and super fast!
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- 🔍 Quick Look: Gluten Free Chicken Pesto Pasta
- Why You'll Love this Creamy Pasta Dish
- Ingredients Needed
- Substitutions and Variations
- How to Make this Gluten Free Chicken Pesto Pasta
- Gluten Free Chicken Pesto Pasta FAQ's
- Suggested Serving Options for this Gluten Free Pasta Recipe
- The Best Gluten Free Pesto Chicken Pasta
Why You'll Love this Creamy Pasta Dish
- It's super easy and comes together in under 30 minutes!
- It's a fantastic way to use up leftover chicken or put a rotisserie chicken to use!
- It only has 7 ingredients.
Ingredients Needed
- Gluten Free Pasta- Jovial's gluten and grain free pasta are made with wholesome ingredients, just follow the package directions.
- Salt (not pictured)- Salting the water you boil the pasta in helps season the pasta immediately! It's a simple step but one that I find makes a big difference.
- Cooked Chicken- this is a great way to use leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken!
- Pesto-I like to avoid seed oils and their inflammatory properties so I love to make my own pesto! I have an allergy to hazelnuts so I make this nut free pesto. When I want something different, I make this fennel frond pesto.
See the recipe card below for quantities!
Substitutions and Variations
- Add veggies such as broccoli, carrots, peas, asparagus, or sugar snap peas.
- Try a different protein such as Italian or chicken sausage!
- Add on top real parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, or fresh parsley!
- You can use a lighter cream if you'd like to lower the fat content.
- Instead of butter use ghee, olive oil, or avocado oil.
How to Make this Gluten Free Chicken Pesto Pasta
- Step 1: Start by making the gluten free pasta according to the package directions. Drain and set aside, but reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.
- Step 2: In a large saucepan or a Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Sauté the onion and garlic for 3 minutes, stirring.
- Step 3: Add in the heavy cream and pesto, mix to combine and let thicken.
- Step 4: Mix in the cooked pasta and chicken.
- Step 5: Add in the reserved pasta cooking water little by little until the desired consistency is reached.
Gluten Free Chicken Pesto Pasta FAQ's
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Gluten free pasta can firm up when cold, so reheat gently with a splash of water or olive oil to loosen it. Avoid freezing - pesto can separate and the pasta texture suffers.
For a hot dish, no - rinsing washes away the starch that helps the pesto cling to each piece of pasta.
Suggested Serving Options for this Gluten Free Pasta Recipe
If you tried this Gluten Free Pesto Chicken Pasta recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
The Best Gluten Free Pesto Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 12 oz. gluten free pasta
- salt to taste
- ¾ cup pesto
- 2 cups cooked chicken shredded or chopped
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Start by cooking the pasta according to the package instructions, and salt the water. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water and set it aside, then drain the pasta.
- In a large skillet or saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
- Sauté the onion and garlic for about 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Slowly pour in the heavy cream while you stir, then mix in the pesto as well.
- Add in the pasta and chicken and mix thoroughly. The sauce will cling to the pasta and start to thicken right away.
- If you'd like the sauce a bit creamier, slowly add splashes of the reserved pasta cooking water while you stir, until the desired texture is reached, an salt to taste. Enjoy!
Notes
- Salt: Salt the cooking water to season the pasta, it adds a nice depth!
- Pesto: If you make your own nut free pesto and it doesn't make exactly ¾ cup, it's totally ok if you use a little more or less than what the recipe calls for. This is a very forgiving recipe!
Sharon says
I love how quick and easy this recipe is and it tastes like restaurant quality!
Rachel Rivera says
So glad you loved it!