diff --git a/airflow/providers/cncf/kubernetes/hooks/kubernetes.py b/airflow/providers/cncf/kubernetes/hooks/kubernetes.py
index 91c00f483c1e8..4b6f436327adf 100644
--- a/airflow/providers/cncf/kubernetes/hooks/kubernetes.py
+++ b/airflow/providers/cncf/kubernetes/hooks/kubernetes.py
@@ -467,19 +467,18 @@ def _get_bool(val) -> bool | None:
 class AsyncKubernetesHook(KubernetesHook):
     """Hook to use Kubernetes SDK asynchronously."""
 
-    def __init__(self, config_dict: dict | None = None, *args, **kwargs):
+    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
         super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
-        self.config_dict = config_dict
-
         self._extras: dict | None = None
 
     async def _load_config(self):
         """Returns Kubernetes API session for use with requests"""
         in_cluster = self._coalesce_param(self.in_cluster, await self._get_field("in_cluster"))
         cluster_context = self._coalesce_param(self.cluster_context, await self._get_field("cluster_context"))
+        kubeconfig_path = self._coalesce_param(self.config_file, await self._get_field("kube_config_path"))
         kubeconfig = await self._get_field("kube_config")
 
-        num_selected_configuration = len([o for o in [in_cluster, kubeconfig, self.config_dict] if o])
+        num_selected_configuration = len([o for o in [in_cluster, kubeconfig, kubeconfig_path] if o])
 
         if num_selected_configuration > 1:
             raise AirflowException(
@@ -494,9 +493,14 @@ async def _load_config(self):
             async_config.load_incluster_config()
             return async_client.ApiClient()
 
-        if self.config_dict:
-            self.log.debug(LOADING_KUBE_CONFIG_FILE_RESOURCE.format("config dictionary"))
-            await async_config.load_kube_config_from_dict(self.config_dict)
+        if kubeconfig_path:
+            self.log.debug(LOADING_KUBE_CONFIG_FILE_RESOURCE.format("kube_config"))
+            self._is_in_cluster = False
+            await async_config.load_kube_config(
+                config_file=kubeconfig_path,
+                client_configuration=self.client_configuration,
+                context=cluster_context,
+            )
             return async_client.ApiClient()
 
         if kubeconfig is not None:
diff --git a/airflow/providers/cncf/kubernetes/operators/pod.py b/airflow/providers/cncf/kubernetes/operators/pod.py
index cec66dfe8c156..6f5a3db603828 100644
--- a/airflow/providers/cncf/kubernetes/operators/pod.py
+++ b/airflow/providers/cncf/kubernetes/operators/pod.py
@@ -373,8 +373,7 @@ def __init__(
         self.deferrable = deferrable
         self.poll_interval = poll_interval
         self.remote_pod: k8s.V1Pod | None = None
-
-        self._config_dict: dict | None = None
+        self._config_dict: dict | None = None  # TODO: remove it when removing convert_config_file_to_dict
 
     @cached_property
     def _incluster_namespace(self):
@@ -572,11 +571,15 @@ def execute_async(self, context: Context):
             pod_request_obj=self.pod_request_obj,
             context=context,
         )
-        self.convert_config_file_to_dict()
         self.invoke_defer_method()
 
     def convert_config_file_to_dict(self):
         """Converts passed config_file to dict format."""
+        warnings.warn(
+            "This method is deprecated and will be removed in a future version.",
+            DeprecationWarning,
+            stacklevel=2,
+        )
         config_file = self.config_file if self.config_file else os.environ.get(KUBE_CONFIG_ENV_VAR)
         if config_file:
             with open(config_file) as f:
@@ -594,7 +597,7 @@ def invoke_defer_method(self):
                 trigger_start_time=trigger_start_time,
                 kubernetes_conn_id=self.kubernetes_conn_id,
                 cluster_context=self.cluster_context,
-                config_dict=self._config_dict,
+                config_file=self.config_file,
                 in_cluster=self.in_cluster,
                 poll_interval=self.poll_interval,
                 should_delete_pod=self.is_delete_operator_pod,
diff --git a/airflow/providers/cncf/kubernetes/triggers/pod.py b/airflow/providers/cncf/kubernetes/triggers/pod.py
index b4a88162537fc..faac3e30bc30c 100644
--- a/airflow/providers/cncf/kubernetes/triggers/pod.py
+++ b/airflow/providers/cncf/kubernetes/triggers/pod.py
@@ -52,8 +52,7 @@ class KubernetesPodTrigger(BaseTrigger):
     :param kubernetes_conn_id: The :ref:`kubernetes connection id <howto/connection:kubernetes>`
         for the Kubernetes cluster.
     :param cluster_context: Context that points to kubernetes cluster.
-    :param config_dict: Kubernetes config file content in dict format. If not specified,
-        default value is ``~/.kube/config``
+    :param config_file: Path to kubeconfig file.
     :param poll_interval: Polling period in seconds to check for the status.
     :param trigger_start_time: time in Datetime format when the trigger was started
     :param in_cluster: run kubernetes client with in_cluster configuration.
@@ -73,7 +72,7 @@ def __init__(
         kubernetes_conn_id: str | None = None,
         poll_interval: float = 2,
         cluster_context: str | None = None,
-        config_dict: dict | None = None,
+        config_file: str | None = None,
         in_cluster: bool | None = None,
         should_delete_pod: bool = True,
         get_logs: bool = True,
@@ -87,7 +86,7 @@ def __init__(
         self.kubernetes_conn_id = kubernetes_conn_id
         self.poll_interval = poll_interval
         self.cluster_context = cluster_context
-        self.config_dict = config_dict
+        self.config_file = config_file
         self.in_cluster = in_cluster
         self.should_delete_pod = should_delete_pod
         self.get_logs = get_logs
@@ -107,7 +106,7 @@ def serialize(self) -> tuple[str, dict[str, Any]]:
                 "kubernetes_conn_id": self.kubernetes_conn_id,
                 "poll_interval": self.poll_interval,
                 "cluster_context": self.cluster_context,
-                "config_dict": self.config_dict,
+                "config_file": self.config_file,
                 "in_cluster": self.in_cluster,
                 "should_delete_pod": self.should_delete_pod,
                 "get_logs": self.get_logs,
@@ -215,7 +214,7 @@ def _get_async_hook(self) -> AsyncKubernetesHook:
             self._hook = AsyncKubernetesHook(
                 conn_id=self.kubernetes_conn_id,
                 in_cluster=self.in_cluster,
-                config_dict=self.config_dict,
+                config_file=self.config_file,
                 cluster_context=self.cluster_context,
             )
         return self._hook
diff --git a/tests/providers/cncf/kubernetes/operators/test_pod.py b/tests/providers/cncf/kubernetes/operators/test_pod.py
index 0e1bcfdbe009b..f3fd713f9b662 100644
--- a/tests/providers/cncf/kubernetes/operators/test_pod.py
+++ b/tests/providers/cncf/kubernetes/operators/test_pod.py
@@ -1230,10 +1230,9 @@ def run_pod_async(self, operator: KubernetesPodOperator, map_index: int = -1):
         )
         return remote_pod_mock
 
-    @patch(KUB_OP_PATH.format("convert_config_file_to_dict"))
     @patch(KUB_OP_PATH.format("build_pod_request_obj"))
     @patch(KUB_OP_PATH.format("get_or_create_pod"))
-    def test_async_create_pod_should_execute_successfully(self, mocked_pod, mocked_pod_obj, mocked_conf_file):
+    def test_async_create_pod_should_execute_successfully(self, mocked_pod, mocked_pod_obj):
         """
         Asserts that a task is deferred and the KubernetesCreatePodTrigger will be fired
         when the KubernetesPodOperator is executed in deferrable mode when deferrable=True.
diff --git a/tests/providers/cncf/kubernetes/triggers/test_pod.py b/tests/providers/cncf/kubernetes/triggers/test_pod.py
index 57befdf51d1c5..4f568addbae4f 100644
--- a/tests/providers/cncf/kubernetes/triggers/test_pod.py
+++ b/tests/providers/cncf/kubernetes/triggers/test_pod.py
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
 CONN_ID = "test_kubernetes_conn_id"
 POLL_INTERVAL = 2
 CLUSTER_CONTEXT = "test-context"
-CONFIG_DICT = {"a": "b"}
+CONFIG_FILE = "/path/to/config/file"
 IN_CLUSTER = False
 SHOULD_DELETE_POD = True
 GET_LOGS = True
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ def trigger():
         kubernetes_conn_id=CONN_ID,
         poll_interval=POLL_INTERVAL,
         cluster_context=CLUSTER_CONTEXT,
-        config_dict=CONFIG_DICT,
+        config_file=CONFIG_FILE,
         in_cluster=IN_CLUSTER,
         should_delete_pod=SHOULD_DELETE_POD,
         get_logs=GET_LOGS,
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ def test_serialize(self, trigger):
             "kubernetes_conn_id": CONN_ID,
             "poll_interval": POLL_INTERVAL,
             "cluster_context": CLUSTER_CONTEXT,
-            "config_dict": CONFIG_DICT,
+            "config_file": CONFIG_FILE,
             "in_cluster": IN_CLUSTER,
             "should_delete_pod": SHOULD_DELETE_POD,
             "get_logs": GET_LOGS,
diff --git a/tests/providers/google/cloud/operators/test_kubernetes_engine.py b/tests/providers/google/cloud/operators/test_kubernetes_engine.py
index a474c8d47455a..6fa0184e88bf6 100644
--- a/tests/providers/google/cloud/operators/test_kubernetes_engine.py
+++ b/tests/providers/google/cloud/operators/test_kubernetes_engine.py
@@ -313,7 +313,6 @@ def setup_method(self):
         self.gke_op._cluster_url = CLUSTER_URL
         self.gke_op._ssl_ca_cert = SSL_CA_CERT
 
-    @mock.patch(KUB_OP_PATH.format("convert_config_file_to_dict"))
     @mock.patch.dict(os.environ, {})
     @mock.patch(KUB_OP_PATH.format("build_pod_request_obj"))
     @mock.patch(KUB_OP_PATH.format("get_or_create_pod"))
@@ -323,7 +322,7 @@ def setup_method(self):
     )
     @mock.patch(f"{GKE_OP_PATH}.fetch_cluster_info")
     def test_async_create_pod_should_execute_successfully(
-        self, fetch_cluster_info_mock, get_con_mock, mocked_pod, mocked_pod_obj, mocked_config
+        self, fetch_cluster_info_mock, get_con_mock, mocked_pod, mocked_pod_obj
     ):
         """
         Asserts that a task is deferred and the GKEStartPodTrigger will be fired