Creamy Avocado Chicken Pasta (Printable)

Ripe avocado blended into a silky no-cook sauce, paired with grilled chicken and hot pasta for a quick, fresh meal.

# Ingredient List:

→ Poultry

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 14 oz)
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Pasta

05 - 12 oz dried spaghetti or linguine

→ Avocado Sauce

06 - 2 ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
07 - 1/2 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
08 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
10 - 1 clove garlic, minced
11 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
12 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
13 - 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, plus extra for garnish

→ Garnishes

14 - Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
15 - Lemon zest (optional)
16 - Red pepper flakes (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Preheat a grill pan or outdoor grill over medium-high heat. Brush chicken breasts with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Grill for 6-7 minutes per side until cooked through with clear juices. Transfer to a plate and rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
03 - In a food processor or blender, combine avocados, Greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, black pepper, and basil leaves. Blend until smooth and creamy.
04 - In a large bowl, toss hot drained pasta with the avocado sauce, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time as needed for a silky consistency.
05 - Add sliced grilled chicken and gently toss to combine. Divide among plates and garnish with extra basil, Parmesan, lemon zest, or red pepper flakes if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together in under 5 minutes and requires zero cooking, which means you can have dinner on the table even on those nights when turning on the stove feels like too much effort.
  • That combination of hot pasta with cool, creamy avocado creates this incredible temperature contrast that feels restaurant fancy but is actually just incredibly simple home cooking at its best.
02 -
  • The avocado sauce will start to turn brown if it sits too long, so make it right before you toss it with the pasta and serve immediately after assembling.
  • Hot pasta is absolutely essential here because it gently warms the sauce without cooking the avocado, which keeps everything lush and creamy rather than separated or weird.
03 -
  • If your avocados are not quite ripe enough, pop them in a paper bag with a banana for 24 hours and they will be perfect for this recipe.
  • Reserving more pasta water than you think you need is always smart because you can always add more, but you cannot take it back once the sauce gets too thin.
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