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    Home » Recipes » Dairy and Gluten-Free Dinner Recipes

    Dairy-Free, Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta Recipe

    Modified: Jun 3, 2025 · Published: Aug 21, 2017 by Shelby Stover · This post may contain affiliate links · 17 Comments

    Jump to Recipe
    Pinterest image with text: creamy pesto pasta in a white bowl with ingredients around it

    An easy, flavorful dinner recipe made in just 15-minutes. Made with dairy-free, basil pesto and gluten-free noodles, this creamy chicken pesto pasta makes the perfect weeknight meal.

    Add more flavor and simplicity to your menu with this pasta dish. It's truly a healthy dinner recipe perfect for the whole family.

    Pinterest image with text: creamy pesto pasta in a white bowl with ingredients around it

    This creamy chicken pesto pasta makes the perfect weeknight dinner recipe! Thrown together in just fifteen minutes, this quick pasta recipe is great for busy days (like most of my dinner recipes).

    Plus. you can use any leftover pesto (or make a double batch) and chicken to make chicken pesto pizzas the next time (this oregano pesto works well for that too!)

    Cook once, eat twice<-- lessons from a Certified Nutrition Coach.

    This creamy chicken pesto pasta feels comforting but comes out really light. And given that the pesto sauce doesn't contain parmesan, it's naturally gluten-free. Here are 15 other easy, gluten-free dinner recipes if you need some more ideas.

    Why You'll Love This Recipe

    • A healthy version of a classic
    • Allergy-friendly (dairy-free, gluten-free)
    • Easy to make
    • A speedy weeknight dinner

    Ingredients You'll Need

    One of the perks of this creamy chicken pesto pasta is that you probably have most of the ingredients on hand already! And because it's dairy-free, there's no parmesan cheese necessary.

    Cooked chicken breasts: meal prep hack! Always cook more chicken than you need! Keep it in the fridge to make recipes like this creamy pesto easy.

    Button mushrooms: the perfect addition to a pesto pasta. Slice them thinly so that they cook quickly.

    Garlic: though the pesto sauce does have garlic in it already, cooking fresh garlic with the mushrooms brings out the flavor more.

    Dairy-free, creamy pesto sauce: this fresh basil pesto is made without pine nuts and has the addition of spinach to boost up your veggie intake! Or, opt for this totally nut free pesto.

    Soba noodles: also known as buckwheat noodles, they're super thin and cook in about 10 minutes.

    How To Make Creamy Pesto Pasta

    1. Make the pesto if you haven't already. Combine all ingredients into a powerful blender and blend until smooth.
    2. Cook noodles according to package directions. Rinse and drain.
    3. Heat some oil in a pan over medium heat. Toss in the mushrooms and garlic. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes until just starting to soften.
    4. Add the chicken to the heat. Lower the temperature slightly and add the pesto sauce to the pan only to warm it (2-3 minutes).
    5. Assemble your dish. Place noodles into the bowl and top with pesto sauce. Swirl it around to combine it.

    What Goes Well With Chicken Pesto Pasta?

    Almost any salad recipe can be paired nicely with creamy chicken pesto pasta.

    • simple kale salad
    • easy spinach salad

    Likewise, while this recipe is very simple, there are a lot of ingredients you can add in! Sundried tomatoes, and roasted cherry tomatoes, both are wonderful options.

    Dinner doesn’t have to be chaotic—this eBook gives you 20+ protein-packed meals ready in 30 minutes or less (even when the day’s already gone sideways)

    E-book cover image of streak fajitas with text about dinner recipes made in under thirty minutes.
    👉 Give Me Dinner in Under 30 Minutes

    Important Teaching Tips

    This creamy pesto chicken pasta is easy to whip up. However, it does require some meal prep.

    To make this recipe a 15-minute meal, the chicken must be cooked ahead of time. Grilled chicken cut up, or roasted, shredded chicken both work for the recipe. Likewise, the flavored chicken will work as well as most flavors will pair nicely with pesto sauce.

     

    Creamy pesto pasta in a white bowl with ingredients around it

    Frequently Asked Questions About Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta

    What else can I use pesto for?

    Homemade, dairy-free pesto works in place of sauce for almost anything. Use it as the base of a pizza, smeared onto a sandwich or as the dressing in a wrap with grilled vegetables.

    What can I add to creamy chicken pesto pasta?

    Any vegetable will work in pesto pasta. Roasted cherry tomatoes, roasted cauliflower or even snow peas are great flavor additions.

    Other Dinner Recipes You'll Love

    • Teriyaki chicken thighs
    • Slow cooker teriyaki chicken
    • Slow cooker balsamic chicken
    • Teriyaki chicken skewers
    • German Pork Loin (slow cooker meal!)
    • Stovetop venison stew
    • 3 minute teriyaki meatballs
    • Slow cooker Tuscan Chicken
    • One pot chicken alfredo
    • Easy cauliflower rice
    • One pot sausage and tomato pasta
    • 45 dinner ideas for busy nights
    • 30 minute chicken fajita bowl
    • 30 minute dinner ideas
    • Easy, healthy dinners

    White bowl with checken pesto pasta in it on soba noodles.

    Dairy-free Chicken Pesto Pasta

    Shelby Stover
    An easy, flavorful dinner recipe made in just 15-minutes. Made with homemade vegan pesto and gluten-free noodles this creamy chicken pesto pasta is packed with flavor!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 10 minutes mins
    0 minutes mins
    Total Time 15 minutes mins
    Course dinner
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4
    Calories 604 kcal

    Video

    Equipment

    • Cast iron pan for cooking
    • Mini food processor

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 cup creamy pesto sauce
    • 1 tbs avocado oil
    • 2 chicken breasts cooked
    • 14 button mushrooms sliced
    • 1 garlic minced
    • Soba noodles for four

    Instructions
     

    • Make the pesto. Combine all ingredients into a powerful blender (like a vitamix) and blend until smooth.
    • Boil water and cook noodles according to package directions. Rinse and drain.
    • While the water for the noodles is boiling, heat some oil in a pan over medium heat. Toss in the mushrooms and garlic. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes until just starting to soften.
    • Add the chicken to the heat. Lower the temperature slightly and add the pesto sauce to the pan only to warm it (2-3 minutes).
    • Assemble your dish. Place noodles into the bowl and top with pesto sauce. Swirl it around to combine it and top with nutritional yeast or vegan parmesan cheese if you'd like.

    Notes

    • Nutritional info is calculated using store-bought pesto
    • To make this recipe a 15-minute meal, the chicken must be cooked ahead of time. Grilled chicken cut up, or roasted, shredded chicken both work for the recipe. Likewise, the flavored chicken will work as well as most flavors will pair nicely with pesto sauce.
    • Buckwheat noodles are prone to sticking together- especially in the fridge. So, only make as many as you need for dinner that night. Otherwise, you'll be eating clumps
    Disclaimer:

    Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"

    Nutrition

    Calories: 604kcalCarbohydrates: 49gProtein: 37gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 77mgSodium: 1158mgPotassium: 785mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 1284IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 129mgIron: 3mg
    Keyword chicken pesto pasta, dairy-free pesto, gluten-free pesto pasta, homemade pesto
    Have You Tried This Recipe?Please leave a star rating and comment below. Mention @fitasamamabear or tag #fitasamamabear!

    Pesto chicken pasta is a fast, simple, and utterly tasty dish! The soba noodles mean that you stay full but won't feel weighed down after eating which makes this meal perfect for a busy weeknight!

    More Dairy and Gluten-Free Dinner Recipes

    • Sheet pan baked meatloaf with barbecue sauce and roasted vegetables.
      Gluten Free Mini Meatloaf Sheet Pan Dinner
    • Baked sweet potatoes stuffed with sloppy joies.
      Sloppy Joe Stuffed Sweet Potatoes [Gluten-Free]
    • A plate of seared shrimp with chimichurri sauce.
      Dairy-Free Chimichurri Shrimp
    • Paleo honey garlic chicken shredded on white rice in a bowl.
      5 Ingredient Crockpot Chicken [Paleo]

    Comments

    1. Ter says

      August 21, 2017 at 3:59 pm

      That's a must try!!!! I can't believe how few ingredients it requires. I know I can do this one! May try it with zucchini noodles.

      Reply
      • fitasamamabear says

        August 21, 2017 at 4:02 pm

        So so simple! I honestly eat it all the time haha It makes for the fastest dinner ever- zucchini noodles would be yummy!

        Reply
    2. Crystal Lam says

      August 21, 2017 at 6:26 pm

      I love pesto! I need to try this out asap!

      Reply
      • fitasamamabear says

        August 21, 2017 at 8:18 pm

        Pesto works for everything- so yummy! Enjoy 🙂

        Reply
    3. Olivia says

      August 21, 2017 at 8:36 pm

      Mmmm that looks delicious, going to save this to try it out for dinner soon. will let you know how it goes!

      Reply
      • fitasamamabear says

        August 22, 2017 at 12:45 am

        Sooo simple! And you can't go wrong with pesto.. or pasta haha let me know!

        Reply
    4. Farrah says

      August 22, 2017 at 2:57 am

      Pesto is one of my favorite things! 😀 This looks super good! Hope I'll get to enjoy it for dinner sometime this week! *-*

      Reply
      • fitasamamabear says

        August 22, 2017 at 5:06 pm

        Pesto goes on everything! I love it too 🙂

        Reply
    5. Megan Miller says

      August 22, 2017 at 10:54 pm

      I might need more garlic but I love it! It's a good summer (end of summer) recipe!

      Reply
      • fitasamamabear says

        August 22, 2017 at 11:55 pm

        Haha I normally more for myself too! But Everyone else seems to like slightly less- garlic rocks!

        Reply
    6. Ophelia Tang says

      September 02, 2017 at 5:42 am

      I love Pesto with pasta. This chicken pesto pasta sounds delicious and simple to make. I would love to make it for lunch asap. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
      • fitasamamabear says

        September 02, 2017 at 12:46 pm

        I'm a sucker for pesto pasta too! It's so simple but so tasty. Enjoy it!

        Reply
    7. La Shell says

      September 02, 2017 at 5:50 pm

      Pesto is so intimidating to me I really want to try it but I'm yet to use it. Will have to check it out because I love chicken with pasta!

      Reply
      • fitasamamabear says

        September 03, 2017 at 12:17 am

        Ah that's fair! To me pesto seems really fancy but it so simple to make- which is why I love it haha

        Reply
    8. Cori @ Sweet Coralice says

      September 02, 2017 at 6:20 pm

      I love Chicken Pesto Pasta! This sounds super easy to make and that makes for a perfect dinner/lunch option ?

      Reply
      • fitasamamabear says

        September 03, 2017 at 12:22 am

        Pesto pasta is awesome!! I love this one for a quick dinner- makes life easy 😀

        Reply
    9. Shelby S says

      July 05, 2025 at 5:36 pm

      5 stars
      This comes out SO creamy it's perfect for hot days.

      Reply
    5 from 1 vote

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    I'm Shelby, a Certified Strength & Nutrition Coach who has spent the last 10 years helping women feel more comfortable in their skin though home strength training and healthy food- no diets, no shortcuts

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