Creamy Pesto Chicken with Zoodles
Servings: 4
This quick and easy dish is as suitable for feeding the family as it is for entertaining. Only simple, low-cost ingredients, 20 minutes and one pan are required for this impressive but stress-free Creamy Pesto Chicken with Zoodles recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut in half horizontally to make thinner steaks
- ½ tsp sea salt flakes, plus extra to serve
- ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper, plus extra to serve
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp freshly minced garlic
- 250 g cherry or grape (baby roma/plum) tomatoes
- 250 ml thickened (whipping/heavy) cream
- 4 large zucchini (courgettes), thinly sliced or cut into zoodles (courgetti) (see note 1), or just use finely sliced zucchini
- 160 g pesto, store-bought (see note 2 about gluten) or homemade, plus 60 g (¼ cup) extra to garnish (optional)
- 25 g grated parmesan, plus extra to garnish
- ¼ bunch basil, leaves picked, to garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken – Place the chicken breasts on a large plate or chopping board.
- Combine the salt, pepper, garlic powder and sweet paprika in a small bowl.
- Sprinkle the mixture as evenly as possible over both sides of the chicken, using your hands to smooth the spices over the chicken.
- Cook the chicken – Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan over medium–high heat.
- Cook the chicken for 3–4 minutes on each side, until golden and cooked through, then set aside on a plate.
- Make the sauce – Add the garlic to the same pan and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
- Add the cherry tomatoes and cook, stirring, for 1–2 minutes. You can press the tomatoes with the back of your spoon to release the juices (and flavour!)
- Add the cream and simmer for 1–2 minutes until thickened.
- Combine the sauce and zoodles – Remove the pan from the heat. Add the zoodles, pesto and parmesan and stir them through for 1–2 minutes until the zoodles have slightly softened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve – Top with the cooked chicken. Serve garnished with basil leaves and extra parmesan. Dollop with extra pesto (if using) for extra flavour and serve immediately.
Notes
Note 1 – Use a spiraliser or julienne peeler to cut the zucchini (courgette) into long, thin strips OR simply slice the zucchini as thinly as you can. You can also buy zoodles (zucchini “spaghetti”/courgetti) from the fresh fruit and vegetable section at the supermarket. These do come at an additional expense (it can be cheaper to make your own) and also don’t last as long in the fridge, but they are a great option when you need dinner on the table extra quickly.
Note 2 – If using store-bought pesto, read the label to check it is gluten-free.
MAKE AHEAD
Chicken – Season the chicken with the spice mix and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Vegetables – Wash the tomatoes and slice the zucchini (courgettes) or vegetables of choice, and refrigerate in an airtight container or reusable sandwich bag for up to 2 days.LEFTOVERS
Refrigerate Creamy Pesto Chicken with Zoodles for up to 3 days or freeze just the chicken for up to 2 months (make the zoodles fresh) – slice the chicken and ensure it’s covered with sauce to avoid freezer-burn. Thaw completely in the fridge overnight. Reheat in the microwave on High for 1–2 minutes, or until the chicken is heated through. The sauce will lose a bit of creaminess and become more oil-based as the milk fats separate from the milk solids, but it will still taste delicious! Because this recipe is so quick and easy to make, I prefer to make it fresh, but always make enough so that I have leftovers for lunch the next day!Scan for full recipe:
