GFLunch & Dinner
Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake
Gluten-free pasta tossed with bone broth shredded chicken, homemade spinach-kale pesto, and sweet cherry tomatoes, topped with cheese and fresh basil.
Makes 7 servings
630Calories
30gProtein
58gCarbs
32gFat
4gFiber
Macros estimated per serving.
For the shredded chicken
- 1 pound chicken tenderloins
- ½ white onion, roughly chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- Dried basil and dried oregano, to taste
- Salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
- Bone broth (use the minimum liquid required for your Instant Pot model)
For the pesto
- 2 cups organic kale, tough stems removed
- 4 cups spinach
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, plus more for serving
- 3 cloves garlic
- Juice of 2 lemons
- Zest of ¼ lemon
- ⅔ cup pine nuts
- ½ cup olive oil
- About 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- Cracked black pepper, to taste (I did about ¼ tsp)
For the pasta bake
- 1 bag Trader Joe's gluten-free brown rice and quinoa pasta
- Reserved pasta water (use as needed)
- 2 cups sweet cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
- Up to ½ teaspoon additional salt, to taste
- About ¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper
- Light sprinkle of dried basil and oregano, or Italian seasoning
- 1 cup shredded Asiago cheese, or mozzarella
- ¼ cup shredded Parmesan
- Olive oil spray, for the baking dish
Instructions
- Cook the chicken. Place the chicken tenderloins, onion, garlic, dried basil, oregano, salt, pepper, and bone broth in the Instant Pot, leaving the tenderloins whole. Seal and cook on High Pressure for about 3–4 minutes, then allow 5 minutes of natural pressure release before carefully releasing the rest. Check that the thickest part reaches 165°F; if needed, finish cooking on Sauté in the broth. (Stovetop option: place the chicken and seasonings in a pot with enough bone broth to cover, bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook about 10–15 minutes until it reaches 165°F and shreds easily. Avoid a vigorous boil.)
- Make the pesto. While the chicken cooks, combine the kale, spinach, basil, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, pine nuts, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a food processor. Blend until well combined, scraping down the sides as needed. A blender or Nutribullet also works (that's what I used), just stop and push the mixture down a few times.
- Prepare the oven and pasta. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly coat a 9x13 baking dish with olive oil spray. Cook the pasta according to the package. Before draining, save the pasta water. You'll use it to loosen the pesto.
- Shred the chicken. Transfer the cooked chicken to a KitchenAid mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low just until shredded. You can also shred it with two forks.
- Mix the pesto chicken. Stir the pesto into the shredded chicken by hand. Add reserved pasta water a little at a time until the mixture is creamy and loose enough to coat the pasta. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
- Assemble the bake. Add the cooked pasta, tomatoes, and pesto chicken to the baking dish. Toss thoroughly, adding more pasta water as needed so everything is well coated (I used about 1 cup). Spread into an even layer, add a light sprinkle of dried basil and oregano, then top with the Asiago and Parmesan.
- Bake and brown. Bake for approximately 15 minutes, until heated through and the cheese is melted and bubbly. For a crisp, golden top, broil for 1–3 minutes, watching constantly.
- Serve. Top with fresh basil leaves and serve warm.
Originally shared in my Substack post Meal Prep Recipes for the Week of October 12 on October 15, 2026.