The Perfect Hot & Cold Basil Pesto Pasta Meal Prep With Juicy Chicken.
This basil pesto chicken pesto pasta, eaten as meal prep or not, is one of the most straightforward recipes with incredible flavour results. The flavour in this dish is exceptionally fresh and well-balanced; of course, the chicken is incredibly tender and juicy.
Also, I’ll show you how to cook the perfect chicken breast in the recipe. Regardless if you use chicken in this recipe, this method will ensure you eat perfect chicken every time without failure. Please enjoy this delicious meal prep recipe that will set you up for the week or a rainy day when you don’t feel like cooking.
Ingredients
Chicken & Pasta
- 2 Tbsp (40ml) - Olive Oil (Divided)
- 750g (1.6lbs) - Chicken Breast or Thigh
- 2 tsp (5g) - Onion Powder
- 2 tsp (5g) - Garlic Powder
- 750g (1.6lbs) - Penne or Pasta of Choice
- Seasoning To Taste
Basil Pesto
- 2-3 - Garlic Cloves, Minced
- 30g (1.06oz) - Parmesan Cheese, Freshly Grated
- 30g (1.06oz) - Pinenuts, Toasted
- ½ - Lemon, Juiced
- 2 Bunches (60g) - Fresh Basil, Picked + Stems, Chopped
- ½ Cup (125ml) - Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Seasoning To Taste
Instructions
Chicken & Pasta
- Preheat oven to 200°c - 390°f.
- Add the chicken to a mixing bowl, and add in half of the oil and all the seasoning. Mix well.
- Place a pan over medium-high heat, add in the remaining olive oil and sear the chicken for 2 minutes on both sides or until golden brown. Transfer the pan to the preheated oven and cook for 13 minutes. Remove and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
- Thinly slice the chicken across the grain and set it aside.
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, add in the pasta of your choice and cook as per the packet instructions. Drain and let cool, reserving 1 cup (250ml) of the pasta water.
Basil Pesto
- Place the pinenuts onto a lined baking tray and roast for 4-5 minutes or until golden, in the preheated oven.
- To make the pesto, add the garlic, parmesan cheese, and toasted pinenuts to a blender, food processor, or mortar. Blend and crush into a coarse paste.
- Add the basil, extra virgin olive oil, and seasoning to taste. Blend or crush again until it forms a smooth and slightly coarse basil pesto. Adjust the flavour with the lemon juice and set it aside.
Serving
- Place the chicken, pasta, and basil pesto into a large bowl and mix well until everything is well coated. Check and adjust seasoning levels.
- Serve and divide into 5 meal prep containers. Garnish with fresh parmesan cheese, extra virgin olive oil, and lemon (optional). Dig in.
Nutrition Guide
The above nutrition guide is based on daily averages and is calculated for a single portion.
Recipe Notes
Pesto Pasta Meal Prep Storage Instructions
To store, portion into airtight containers and place in the fridge for up to 4 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months. It’s always best to freeze if you know you won’t be eating them all straight away. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Pesto Pasta Meal Prep Reheating Instructions
To reheat, the easiest method is to place it in a microwave in burst until hot throughout. Alternatively, it can be put into a pan and heated gently, mixing regularly. You will have to add a splash of water or vegetable stock to refresh it if you reheat it in a pan. This basil pesto chicken pasta meal prep can also be eaten cold.
Can I Use Chicken Thigh?
The chicken breast can be replaced with chicken thigh. If using chicken thigh, sear it for 4 minutes on each side, and instead of baking for 13 minutes, do so for 16 minutes.
How Much Do You Like Garlic?
The flavour from 2 garlic cloves would be enough for most palettes. If you really like garlic, use three cloves. As the saying goes, it’s easy to add, but once in, it cant be removed.
Pinenut Alternatives
Pinenuts can be expensive and can be substituted with a wide range of nuts, such as macadamia, almonds, cashews, walnuts, and pistachios. If allergies are a concern, they can be left out entirely.
Watch How To Make The Recipe
Did You Like This Recipe?
Please take a second to leave a comment and rating below, and ill get back to you as soon as possible.
Thank you Jack, this recipe is delicious 😋. I used toasted almonds as I didn’t have pinenuts and chicken tenderloins instead of chicken breast. The chicken together with the pasta and the pesto had so much flavour. This would be terrific as a cold salad for summer.
Is the 750g of pasta the pre or post cooked weight?
It’s the dried weight
Thanks! Will probably drop that a bit for the pesto to go farther next time but a good recipe all the same!