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This pesto chicken pasta recipe is one of my favourites for lunch. It’s a hearty one pot meal that can be made in advance as one of many meal prep recipes and is best eaten cold so is great for lunch wherever you may be. We have this in packed lunches all the time and have also served it as a barbecue side dish and a nice filling addition to a party buffet.
Pesto is a perfect ingredient to use any time
I don’t think I have ever met anyone who doesn’t like pesto and so this is a winner with the whole family. The tomatoes and rocket compliment the chicken and pesto perfectly and it’s a lunch we really never get bored of. It’s fantastic if you cook too much pasta or have leftover chicken to use up.
Can you vary this pesto pasta recipe?
This easy chicken pesto recipe can be made with any pasta you like – white pasta, whole wheat pasta or any other pasta shapes you like. You could also use sun dried tomatoes instead of fresh ones in this pasta salad and could even use any variation of pesto sauce you like too.
Red pesto would be delicious especially with some added red pepper flakes and you can always add an extra drizzle of olive oil at the end for some extra decadence. If you prefer a creamy sauce you could stir in some creme fraiche to make this a creamy pesto pasta too.
We sometimes sprinkle some toasted pine nuts on the top and you can use homemade pesto if you like too. I know many people love making their own fresh basil pesto but I’ve always gone for the quicker options and used store bought pesto.
If eating this straight away once we’ve cooked it we serve with some freshly grated parmesan cheese on top. It really is that simple.
So here’s our Chicken Pesto Pasta Recipe:
Ingredients
- 300 g cooked pasta left to cool. We use whole wheat penne pasta but you can use any pasta you like.
- 200 g cooked sliced boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 150 g cherry tomatoes quartered
- 50 g rocket
- 4 heaped tablespoons green pesto
Instructions
- Put all the ingredients into a saucepan or mixing bowl and mix well.
- Distribute between 4 containers and refrigerate until ready to eat.
If you’d like to print or pin the Chicken Pesto Pasta Recipe for later you can do so below. Enjoy!
Chicken Pesto Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 300 g cooked pasta left to cool
- 200 g cooked sliced chicken breast
- 150 g cherry tomatoes quartered
- 50 g rocket
- 4 heaped tablespoons green pesto
Instructions
- Put all the ingredients into a saucepan or mixing bowl and mix well.
- Distribute between 4 containers and refrigerate until ready to eat.
*Note: Nutritional information is estimated, based on publicly available data. Nutrient values may vary from those published.
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