Chicken Pesto Chickpea Pasta — Say I'm a Foodie

My chicken pesto chickpea pasta made from banza's gluten-free pasta is the perfect solution for when you're craving this Italian staple but are gluten-intolerant. The pasta is also packed with protein, making it more nutritious than regular pasta made from semolina. Add fresh, homemade pesto and some tomatoes, and you have a nice, tasty dinner.

I was recently diagnosed with an auto immune disorder that requires me to eat a gluten, dairy, and mostly egg-free diet. This came as a shock to me–I thought of all the foods I could not have anymore, pasta being a main one, not to mention bread, pastries, pancakes, and dumplings. The transition has been a little hard, but I’ve learned that there are so many alternatives out there.

Pasta is one of my favorite foods, but unfortunately many restaurants have one gluten-free option and my family eats the good ole Barilla pasta. I was happy to come across Banza and am especially thankful for their gluten-free pasta! They make pasta and rice from chickpeas. Not only is it gluten-free, but it packs a lot of protein (14g per serving) as well as 8g of fiber! The texture is the same as regular pasta, while the taste has a little less flavor.

Pesto has always been my favorite pasta sauce, so I thought it would go great with this pasta, along with chicken and tomatoes. The different textures of these ingredients make for a wonderfully, delicious pasta! You can totally make this dish vegan by omitting the chicken.

I like to add avocado to my pesto for a creamier texture which also requires less olive oil. If the sauce is too thick when you combine it with the pasta, you can add a splash of almond milk to thin it out! This keeps the recipe dairy free and vegan!

Chicken Pesto Chickpea Pasta

Megan | August 10, 2019

prep time: 5 min

cook time: 25 min

total time: 30 min

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

1 box of Banza chickpea pasta

1 lb of chicken (breast or tenders)

salt and pepper to taste

almond milk

one cup of cherry tomatos (halved)

Pesto

olive oil

1/2 avocado

1 cup of basil

1 garlic clove

1/4 cup cashews or pine nuts

1 tbsp lemon juice

Instructions:

Boil 6 cups of water (add sal, if desired) in a large pot over high heat.

Make the pesto. In a blender (I used a nutribullet), combine avocado, basil, garlic, cashews/pine nuts, lemon juice, and 1 tbsp olive oil until smooth. If the consistency is too thick, add more olive oil by the 1/2 tbsp.

For the chicken, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season with salt and pepper. Cook on one side for 10 minutes, or until the sides become opaque.

Cook pasta according to box.

Flip chicken and cover skillet with lid for 8-10 minutes. Cut into the chicken to check that there is no more pink. Let sit for at least 5 minutes.

Drain pasta, cut chicken into strips or bite-sized pieces, and mix with pesto in a skillet over low heat. If the sauce is too clumpy, add 1 tbsp of almond milk at a time and stir.

Garnish with basil and halved cherry tomatos.

Dietary Information

gluten-free, dairy-free