Chicken Recipe: Easy Pesto Chicken and Vegetables

 Are you ready for this? Because I wasn't quite ready for how easy and delicious this meal was. When I sat down to eat my first bowl of this Chicken and Veggie Pesto, I thought, "Oh yeah, I'm going to make this every week." It's the perfect light, tasty, and quick recipe for meal prep. And it's so simple.

VEGETABLE OPTIONS

I used a summer blend of yellow squash, zucchini, red bell pepper, green beans and red onion for this quick stir fry, but there are plenty of options when it comes to vegetables. Here are some other vegetables you could add:

• Broccoli
• Carrots
• Grape tomatoes
• Mushrooms
• Fresh corn
• Asparagus
• Spinach

• The key thing to keep in mind when using different vegetables is when you add them to the pan. For this recipe, the vegetables should not be cooked all the way through. They should be just tender and crisp. So with that in mind, add the tough vegetables first and the soft ones later to make sure they don't get overcooked.

• CAN I REPLACE THE CHICKEN?

• Yes, there are options for that too! I think shrimp would be absolutely great in this recipe, as would tofu. If you use tofu, I would coat it with cornstarch and fry it separately (see the technique used in this recipe) before mixing it with the vegetables and pesto at the end.
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• HOW TO SERVE THE CHICKEN AND VEGETABLES WITH PESTO

• I ate this dish as is, just a bowl of flavorful chicken and vegetables. But there are other options! You can eat it over a bowl of rice, incorporate cooked orzo or quinoa, or even add it to a bed of greens. Honestly, I could even add them to a flatbread and top with mozzarella cheese to make a sort of vegetable pizza!
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• HOW LONG DO THEY KEEP?

• I got about four days out of my pesto chicken and veggies, but this can vary depending on the conditions of your fridge, the freshness of the ingredients, and how long the veggies have been cooking. As I mentioned above, you barely need to cook the vegetables for this recipe. Just make them tender and crisp so they don't get too wilted. Not only does this give them a great texture and a fresh, bright flavor, but they also keep a little longer in the refrigerator.

EASY PESTO CHICKEN AND VEGGIES

This easy chicken and veggie pesto is super quick and easy, and stores well in the fridge for tasty lunches all week long!

• SERVINGS 4  1.5 cups each
• PREPARATION 15 minutes
• BAKE 15 minutes
• TOTAL 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 red bell pepper ($1.50)
• 1 zucchini ($0.60)
• 1 yellow squash ($0.50)
• 1/2 red onion ($0.19)
• 1.3 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast ($6.67)
• 2 Tbsp cooking oil ($0.08)
• 1 cup frozen green beans ($0.67)
• 1/3 cup pesto* ($0.73)
• 1/8 tsp salt* ($0.01)
• 1/8 tsp freshly cracked pepper* ($0.01)
• 1 Tbsp grated Parmesan* ($0.11)

INSTRUCTIONS 

• Cut the bell bell pepper, yellow squash and zucchini into pieces, and chop the red onion. I like to shape each vegetable differently, but make the pieces all the same size.
• Cut the chicken breasts into ½ inch cubes.
• Add the cooking oil to a large skillet and heat it over medium-high heat. Once the pan and oil are very hot, add the chicken and saute until the chicken pieces are opaque (3-5 minutes - the chicken will continue to cook as you add the vegetables).
• Add the green beans to the pan and sauté for another 1-2 minutes, or until thawed.
• Add the bell bell pepper and red onion to the pan. Sauté for 1-2 minutes more. If water begins to pool in the pan, increase the heat slightly. It should be hot enough for the water released by the vegetables to evaporate quickly.
• Add the yellow squash and zucchini to the pan and continue to sauté for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until the squash softens slightly.
• Turn off the heat, add the pesto to the pan and stir until everything is coated. Taste vegetables and add salt, pepper or more pesto if desired. Garnish with a light sprinkling of Parmesan cheese just before serving.

 

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