• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Beauty and the Bench Press logo

Shop My Faves Get In Touch Podcast
  • Recipes
    • Air Fryer
    • Low Carb
    • Meal Prep Faves
    • One Pan Meals
    • Sweet Treats
    • Whole30 Compliant
  • Beauty
  • Lifestyle
    • Travel
    • Shopping Guides & Reviews
  • Fitness
    • My Whole30 Journey
    • My Weightloss
    • Workouts
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Blog
  • Recipes
  • Beauty
  • Lifestyle
  • Shop
  • Get Your Free Meal Plan!
  • Browse Recipes
  • Healthy Eats. Beauty. Lifestyle
  • follow me!

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake (Gluten-Free, Made with Pantry Staples)

    Mar 25, 2020 · Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

    My favorite type of comfort food is a casserole dish. There’s nothing better than throwing your ingredients in a dish and popping it in the oven, especially when the end result is this Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake. The best part about this recipe is it can be made easily with things found in your pantry and freezer. This recipe can be made gluten-free, dairy-free and it’s made with all real wholesome ingredients. It’s also great for a quick weeknight dinner or for weekly meal prep!

    Pesto Chicken Casserole Ingredients

    My favorite part about this recipe is the simplicity of the ingredients.  You can find most of everything you need in your pantry or freezer. Easy Peasy! You will need

    • Canned Chicken (you can substitute for shredded chicken)
    • Penne Pasta – (I use Banza Chickpea Pasta)
    • Spinach (you can use frozen or fresh)
    • Diced Tomatoes
    • Some basic spices (dried basil, salt and pepper)
    • Canned Olives
    • Pesto Mayo (I use Primal Kitchen Foods (affiliate link) new Pesto Mayo but if you don’t have that you can use regular mayo mixed with pesto sauce. If you do want to try out the Primal Kitchen pesto mayo, affiliate code “BEAUTY10” gets you a discount on their website!)

    I used the pesto mayo in my pesto chicken and rice skillet and it was amazing! But if you don’t happen to have any ready made pesto handy, you can use mayo on it’s own or mixed with Italian seasonings to spice it up a bit!

    pesto chicken casserole

    How to Prepare Your Chicken Pasta Bake

    To make this pesto chicken bake you will need to cook your pasta al dente according to package directions. Once your pasta is cooked and drained, you can place it at the bottom of a 9×11 casserole dish prepared with a little avocado oil spray (affiliate link). From there, you will just start adding in the rest of your ingredients to the top. If you are using frozen spinach, make sure to thaw and drain as much water out as necessary. I like using a salad spinner (affiliate link) to get excess water out.ingredients for pesto chicken casserole

    Once all your ingredients are in the casserole dish, use tongs or a spatula to mix everything together. Place the dish in your oven and your pesto chicken pasta bake will be ready to go in about 30 minutes. If you aren’t worried about keeping things dairy-free, this pasta bake tastes amazing with a little parmesan or shredded mozzarella on top. If you decide to add it, bake your casserole for 20 minutes and then add the cheese (1/2 cup shredded mozzarella) in for the last 10 minutes.

    Other Casseroles and Bakes You Will Love:

    • Southwest Breakfast Bake (affiliate link)
    • Chorizo Cauliflower Bake (affiliate link)
    • Buffalo Chicken Casserole
    • Chorizo Hash Brown Bake (affiliate link)
    • Chicken Verde Casserole

    pesto chicken casserole

     

    Print
    clock clock icon cutlery cutlery icon flag flag icon folder folder icon instagram instagram icon pinterest pinterest icon facebook facebook icon print print icon squares squares icon heart heart icon heart solid heart solid icon

    Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake

    • Author: Jen
    • Prep Time: 15
    • Cook Time: 30
    • Total Time: 45 minutes
    • Yield: 4 1x
    • Category: Main Dishes
    • Cuisine: Italian
    • Diet: Gluten Free
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Description

    This pesto chicken pasta bake is the perfect easy weeknight meal. It can be made gluten-free, dairy-free and it’s made with affordable pantry staples.


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 1 12.5 oz cans of chicken
    • 1 8 oz pkg Penne Pasta (I use Banza Pasta Chickpea Noodles)
    • 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
    • 1/3 cup Primal Kitchen Foods (affiliate link) Pesto Mayo (or regular mayo mixed with 2 tbs pesto sauce)
    • 3 cups chopped spinach (or 1 package frozen spinach thawed and drained)
    • 1/2 cup pitted black olives
    • 1 tsp onion powder
    • 1 tsp dried basil
    • optional: 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

    Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 9×11 casserole dish with cooking spray (I like avocado oil spray (affiliate link))
    2. Boil pasta according to package directions, drain and add to the bottom of the casserole dish
    3. Drain canned chicken and add to the casserole with the pesto mayo (or mayo mixture)
    4. Add chopped spinach and diced tomatoes and mix thoroughly
    5. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes *if adding cheese, bake for 20 minutes and then add the cheese to the top for the last 10 minutes)

    Notes

    *nutrition calculations may vary based on type of pasta used. The counts here are specifically for Banza Pasta.


    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1/4th of recipe
    • Calories: 430
    • Fat: 23
    • Carbohydrates: 35
    • Protein: 27

    Keywords: casserole

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @beautyandthebenchpress on Instagram and hashtag it #beautyandthebenchpress

    More from my site

    • Dairy Free White Chicken Chili (Easy 15 Minute Meal)Dairy Free White Chicken Chili (Easy 15 Minute Meal)
    • How I Lost 85 Pounds and Gained a Whole New LifeHow I Lost 85 Pounds and Gained a Whole New Life
    • Paleo Cashew Butter Chocolate Bars (No Bake, Gluten Free, Vegan)Paleo Cashew Butter Chocolate Bars (No Bake, Gluten Free, Vegan)
    • Super Simple Chicken Salad: Easy Low Carb LunchSuper Simple Chicken Salad: Easy Low Carb Lunch
    • Spicy Taco Skillet: Paleo, Whole30, Meal PrepSpicy Taco Skillet: Paleo, Whole30, Meal Prep
    • How To Meal Prep Like A Champ: My Weekly Meal Prep RoutineHow To Meal Prep Like A Champ: My Weekly Meal Prep Routine

    Join the Club!

    Get fun updates and a free meal plan for a week of delicious Whole30 compliant recipes!

    Previous Post: « Pesto Chicken and Rice Skillet (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, 30 Minute Meal)
    Next Post: Dairy Free White Chicken Chili (Easy 15 Minute Meal) »

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Hey Hey Hey!!

    Hola Amigos

    I'm Jen: a fitness loving, makeup obsessed California girl. I'm here to share a little about what I love, which includes all things health & wellness, beauty and life in general.

    Subscribe below for updates plus get access to your free meal plan for a week of delicious Whole30 compliant recipes!

    DISCLAIMER/Privacy Policy

    Copyright© 2021 Beauty & the bench press