Spinach Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake Recipe | Diethood (2024)

FAQs

What to pair with pesto pasta? ›

A slice of bread goes with pesto pasta. Pair this pasta with Rosemary Olive Oil Bread or No Knead Focaccia. Veggies. Sauteed Zucchini Recipe, Roasted Mushrooms, or Roasted Broccoli and Carrots would be scrumptious paired with this pasta.

When it comes to pairing wine with pesto, we favour dry, crisp, and acidic white wines such as Pinot Grigio, Vermentino, or Sauvignon Blanc. If you prefer red wine, then we'd recommend something light-bodied like Beaujolais, Dolcetto, or Pinot Noir.

Wine Pairing Recommendations

There are several different ways you could go in terms of a wine pairing with pesto chicken. If you want a white wine, I'd suggest a crisp, dry white like a Sauvignon Blanc or a Riesling. If you want a red wine, I'd suggest a lighter bodied wine like a Pinot Noir.

Italian Tradition

Pesto is the perfect sauce to enjoy with a dish of trofie (the traditional Ligurian short pasta), lasagna, potato gnocchi or as a topping for a bowl of minestrone. It can be mixed into tomato sauce to enhance the flavor of pasta dishes or used with fish fillets to make them more appetizing.

This fresh and fragrant pasta sauce is served uncooked, so choose a pasta shape that won't overwhelm it. Similar to oil-based sauces, pesto is served best with longer cuts of pasta, like the corkscrew shape of Fusilli. Pesto works best with Bucatini, Capellini, thinner Spaghettini, and Fettuccine.

It also identifies spicy and fatty foods as possible contributors. Although pesto is not listed as a specific cause of heartburn, a red pesto that contains sun-dried tomatoes and has a high fat content should be avoided if you are a sufferer.

Pesto goes amazingly well with grilled steak, pork chops, chicken, and even fish, so you don't have to worry about spicing or marinating your meat. You can also season meatloaf or meatballs with pesto.

PESTO SHOULD NEVER BE “COOKED”. If you cook Pesto Sauce, you change the make up of the fresh basil and cause it to turn darker in color. It is best to warm it up and use it at room temperature. If it needs to be thinned out, you can do so by adding a little water, chicken stock, cream or white wine.

One major way Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio wine contrast is their production methods. Classic Pinot Gris is made from the ripest grapes and crafted in a barrel, usually wooden. On the other hand, grapes for Pinot Grigio tend to be harvested earlier, leading to a crisper and drier flavor.

What meat goes with pesto pasta? ›

You are unlimited in choices for pairing proteins with pesto pasta. Some great options are chicken, shrimp, pork and beef. What is the secret to perfect pasta? Adding salt to the pasta cooking water and allowing the saucepan to come to the boil will help to ensure perfectly cooked pasta.

This butter is great slathered on toast, or used as a topping to finish roast vegetables, rice, potatoes, chicken, or fish. Alone or mixed with vegetables, cheeses, and / or nuts, pesto can make a great filling for stuffed chicken breast. This is a relatively easy way to make a meal look and taste more formal.

This versatile pesto pasta recipe is easy to customize by adding your favorite protein, if you like. Chicken, sausage, and chickpeas are all delicious mix-ins.

It originated in the Italian city of Genoa, and is used to dress pasta and sometimes soups.

Served as a main course, it pairs nicely with a fresh green salad or our favorite Italian Salad. Is pesto pasta meant to be eaten cold? This is one of our favorite dishes to bring to a party or potluck because it's great served warm, cold or left out at room temperature.