Kale Pesto Pasta with Chicken
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This AIP Kale Pesto Pasta with Chicken takes just 10 ingredients and about 20 minutes from fridge to table. An excellent AIP weeknight dinner!
If you’re missing pesto, you’ll be happy to find this recipe for a simple 2-Minute Paleo Kale Pesto. This pesto will add a boost of flavor to almost any meal, snack or side dish!
Pesto Pasta with Chicken used to be one of my faves before I went AIP, so I’m thrilled to have this option with an easy, compliant pesto.
Don’t let it’s simplicity fool ya … you could totally serve this to non-AIP family and friends and no one will miss their gluten- and dairy-laden comfort food. Promise!

Kale Pesto Pasta with Chicken
♥ RECIPE & IMAGES BY: Andrea - Formerly "Hurried Health Nut" ♥ This AIP Kale Pesto Pasta with Chicken, takes just 10 ingredients and about 20 minutes to get on the table
Ingredients
AIP Kale Pesto:
- 2.5 oz - baby kale (approx. 2 cups, loosely packed)
- 1 - clove garlic
- 1/2 tsp - sea salt
- Juice from 1/4 lemon (approx. 3 1/2 tsp)
- 2 Tbsp + 2 tsp - extra virgin olive oil
- 1/8 cup - nutritional yeast (non-fortified for AIP)
Pasta and Chicken:
- 4 oz - cassava fusilli (1/2 package)
- 1 Tbsp - avocado oil
- 1 lb - chicken breasts or thighs, cubed
- 1 - large head broccoli, cut into small florets
- sea salt to taste
Instructions
- Add all of the kale pesto ingredients to a food processor and pulse until desired consistency is reached. Pause to scrape down the sides, as needed.
- Cube the chicken and cut the broccoli into small florets of roughly equal size. Set aside.
- Cook the cassava fusilli according to package directions. (Boil on high, stirring frequently, for best texture.)
- While the pasta cooks, add avocado oil to a large skillet warmed over medium-high heat.
- Sauté the cubed chicken until cooked through and beginning to brown, about 5-7 minutes.
- Remove the skillet from the heat, leaving the chicken in the skillet.
- With 5 minutes remaining on the pasta, add the broccoli florets to the pasta water and continue to boil, stirring frequently, for 5 more minutes.
- Drain the pasta and broccoli and add them to the skillet with the chicken.
- Add the kale pesto and toss to coat - Serve hot.
Notes
STORAGE: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.