Luke Hines’ gluten-free chicken pesto pasta recipe
It doesn’t get much more delicious than Luke Hines’ chicken pesto pasta. His gluten-free take will have you twirling spaghetti in no time.
If you’re looking for a quick, simple and completely satisfying meal, my take on chook pesto pasta has you covered with all the flavours you expect – but it’s so much better for you.
If you’re a cheese eater, for extra protein and healthy fats, you could grate aged parmesan into the pesto and sprinkle a little more over the top when serving.
Luke Hines’ gluten-free chcien pesto pasta recipe
Serves: 2 | Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
- 120 g gluten-free spaghetti
- 200 g chicken breast fillet
- 1 bunch of basil, leaves picked, small leaves reserved to serve
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tbsp pine nuts
Five in Five pantry staples:
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp chilli flakes
Method
Step 1.
Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil, add the pasta and cook for 2 minutes less than packet instructions recommend.
Drain and set pasta aside, reserving 125 ml (½ cup) of the pasta water.
Step 2.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
Add the chicken, season with salt and pepper and cook for 10–12 minutes, turning after about 5 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.
Transfer the chicken to a plate, reserving the juices in the pan.
Cover the chicken with foil and rest in a warm place.
Step 3.
To make the pesto, combine the basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts, chilli flakes and the remaining olive oil in a jug and add a generous pinch of salt and pepper.
Blitz with a hand-held blender until well combined and a thick wet paste forms.
Step 4.
Place the same pan with the delicious reserved juices over medium heat, add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3–4 minutes, or until aromatic.
Stir in the pasta, add some of the reserved pasta water to loosen up the sauce to your desired consistency and cook for 3–4 minutes, tossing and stirring to coat the pasta with the sauce.
Step 5.
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
Add the chicken schnitzels, in two batches if needed, and fry for 4-5 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and cooked through.
Season with salt and pepper.
Step 6.
Slice the chicken.
Plate up the pasta and serve topped with the chicken, a pinch of salt and pepper and the reserved basil leaves.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy for lunch or dinner the next day.
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Extract from Five Kilos in 5 Weeks by Luke Hines. Photos by Mark Roper. Available from dailywithluke. |
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