Avocado Pesto Chicken Pasta

Name: Creamy Avocado Pesto Chicken Pasta
Prep time: 14 min
Cook time: 31 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 4-5 chicken breast tenders; olive oil (for brushing); spices (for chicken); 1 lb penne pasta (or desired pasta); 1 tbsp salt; 1 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves (packed ); 2 cloves garlic (minced); 1/4 cup pine nuts or walnuts (I used a mixture of both); 2 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 lemon); 1 avocado; sea salt and pepper; 3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

4.73 from 11 votes

Hi there! It’s Alyssa from My Sequined Life back to share an easy and quick dinner recipe – creamy avocado pesto chicken pasta. It’s a lightened up version of traditional basil pesto and is done in about 45 minutes (including time to bake the chicken).

Growing up we’d eat pasta at least once a week, which may sound like it would be something we’d get tired of after awhile, but with a seemingly endless number of ways to mix up flavors, proteins, sauces, etc. we never did. One favorite that snuck in the rotation more than others was pesto.

Specifically pesto with as many basil leaves that can be packed in there as possible. We had a few basil plants in our backyard that would go nuts in the summertime, so any meal that used fresh basil quickly shot to the top of the list. Good thing we like basil. 🙂

read more: Try our Basic Pesto Recipe next!

Since we’re moving this spring, my garden will have to wait to be planted for a little while, so I made do with basil from the grocery store. This avocado pesto chicken pasta features a hearty amount of it (one-and-a-half packed cups) like my childhood favorite, but has a fun change in that an avocado is added to the sauce for a seriously creamy twist that reduces the quantity of oil used. Just throw a ripe avocado in the food processor when you’re mixing up the sauce and that’s it!

There are a few customizable options here. I baked chicken tenders with a simple coating of olive oil and spices and served them on top of (and mixed into) this pasta. This would be a great dish to use leftover cooked chicken, or you can omit for a vegetarian option. Then there’s the pasta. I used penne, but your preferred pasta shape would work just fine. There’s definitely room to do your own thing!

read more: Looking for more easy Italian recipes? Try our best ever Bolognese Recipe as well!

What is Pesto?

Pesto is a sauce of crushed basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil. It is usually served with pasta.

How Long Will Pesto Keep?

Homemade pesto will keep 5-7 days in the refrigerator. It can be frozen for 3-4 months.

How Can You Tell if an Avocado is Ripe?

Gently squeeze the avocado in the palm of your hand. If it indents slightly, but does not remain indented, it is ripe. If it remains indented or feels mushy, it is overripe. You can also gently push on the stem, if it slightly pushes into the avocado, it is ripe.