Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta. Simple, Delicious & Easy To Make Meal Prep.
This high protein, cheap, and highly delicious sun-dried tomato pesto chicken pasta is the perfect recipe for meal prep. This meal is high in protein which is excellent for muscle recovery, and the best part about it is it’s not your regular average and bland-tasting meal prep recipe.
Ingredients
Chicken & Pasta
- 2 tsp (10ml) - Olive Oil
- 750g (1.65lbs) - Chicken Thigh, Boneless & Skinless
- 1 tsp (2.5g) - Onion Powder
- 1 tsp (2.5g) - Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp (2.5g) - Sweet Paprika
- 600g (1.32lbs) - Pasta Of Choice (I Used Fusilli)
- Sea Salt Flakes To Taste
- Cracked Black Pepper To Taste
Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
- 200g (7.05oz) - Sun Dried Tomatoes (Oil Drained)
- 20g (0.7oz) - Basil Leaves
- 10g (0.35oz) - Parmesan Cheese, Freshly Grated
- 40g (1.41oz) - Pine Nuts, Lightly Toasted
- ⅔ Cup (150ml) - Sun Dried Tomato Oil (The Oil The Tomatoes Come In)
- Seasoning To Taste
Garnish
- Parmesan Cheese, Freshly Grated
- Basil Leaves
- Lemon Wedge
- Cracked Black Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 190°c - 375°f. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta of your choice as per the packet instructions. Remove and drain.
- In a bowl, add the chicken thigh, onion and garlic powder, sweet paprika, olive oil, and seasoning to taste. Mix well and lay on the prepared baking tray. Bake in the preheated oven for 16 minutes. Remove and rest the chicken for 5 minutes before slicing it into strips.
- Lightly toast the pinenuts in a pan over medium heat until lightly golden brown. Remove and set aside.
- Add all the sun-dried tomato pesto ingredients to a blender and blend to a coarse paste. Check seasoning levels and consistency adjusting with oil to loosen it slightly (it needs to be quite thick but still pourable).
- In a large mixing bowl, add all of the ingredients together, mix well until all the pasta and chicken are coated in the pesto, and check the seasoning again.
- Portion into 5 meal prep containers, and garnish with lemon wedges, basil leaves, cracked black pepper, and parmesan cheese. Let it cool slightly and store in the fridge for up to 5 days and in the freezer for up to 4 months. Dig in.
Nutrition Guide
The above nutrition guide is based on daily averages and is calculated for a single portion.
Recipe Notes
Nut Allergies
If you can’t consume pine nuts due to allergies or other reasons, they can be replaced with other nuts such as cashews, peanuts, macadamia, pecan almonds and pistachios. If you can’t consume nuts at all, leave them out.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
In the introduction of the video, I explained that we need extra virgin olive oil but didn’t use it in the recipe. The reason for this is that if you are unable to achieve the 2/3 cup (150ml) of sun-dried tomato oil (some brands may come with less) it can be topped up with extra virgin olive oil. It can also be replaced completely if you’d prefer.
Storage Instructions
To store, place in the fridge for up to 4 days and in the freezer for up to 5 months, both stored in airtight containers.
Reheating Instructions
This dish is best reheated in the microwave. To do so, simply place it in the microwave for 2-3 minutes in bursts and mix regularly until hot throughout. If frozen, allow thawing overnight before reheating.
Watch How To Make The Recipe
Did You Like This Recipe?
Please take a second to leave a comment and rating below, and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
This was the first meal I have cooked by myself as someone who has just moved out of home! Great Video to follow along to and we now have food for multiple lunches and a dinner. Found the portion size fits well with what is easily purchased in a supermarket, so you aren’t only using half a can or packet and leaving the rest in the fridge! Thanks Heaps Jack! Will definitely be trying some more!
Fantastic to hear. Glad you enjoyed it and found it easy to make. Thank you.
I have made this twice already and I cannot say enough great things about it. I am constantly looking for healthy meal ideas to support me on my fitness journey that also taste amazing. This recipe was excellent and a hit with the whole family. Thank you and I am looking forward to trying your other recipes.
Hi Giselle. It’s fantastic to hear that you have been enjoying this recipe. Thank you so much for that.
Hi! Thank you very much for so many great recipes that are quite easy and fast to make. I didn’t have any pine nuts, but used cashews instead. To be honest, I did not add any seasoning (nor salt or pepper) to taste and was afraid that it will taste… flat. But no, the sun dried tomatoes gave their whole flavour to the pesto with a little of cashew taste in the middle. Although chicken was very basic, it fit there very well. This was the third recipe used by me from your site and I wasn’t dissapointed even once. Keep on going! Your content is great. Thank you once again
Hey! Cashews are great in a pesto and compliment sun dried tomatoes very well. Im glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you