Skinny Chicken Pesto Pasta

Hello Fellow Seeker of Abundance,

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I'm excited to share my new recipe with you because not only is it healthy and lean, it includes pasta. Any dish that simultaneously includes pasta and promises to add to my health and fitness is welcome in my kitchen anytime! I don't like to incorporate a ton of refined foods into my diet, as they aggravate an inflammatory response in my body. This is why I like to use whole-grain pasta. Additionally, it is lower in calories, higher in fiber, and promotes fullness. This makes portion control much easier, and still provides our bodies with the nutrients we expect from our food.

The second thing that makes this recipe really great is that it is crafted with a fresh, delicious pesto, with all the unnecessary fats and calorie rich ingredients removed, leaving you with all the amazing flavor and none of the bellyache. I added a touch of mint and lemon to this pesto as well, which adds to the full, fresh flavor of this dish; bright on the taste-buds and perfect for summer!

Making this dish at home is simple enough! I begin by boiling my pasta in well-salted water. While that's on the go, I heat my pan with a little olive oil while I season my chicken fillets with my favorite seasonings. Once the pan is hot I add my chicken to the pan and set a timer for 10 mins, flipping it halfway through. While the chicken is cooking, I throw my pesto ingredients into my bullet blender and give them a quick blend. This only takes about 30 seconds in the bullet, maybe a couple mins in a standard blender. When I'm finished making my pesto, I heat a pan on medium high to blister my veggies. I love them this way, as they keep their inner crunch, but are roasted and soft on the outside. Plus, it only takes a couple of minutes! By the time the veggies are tossed in their pan the pasta has usually finished cooking. I strain out the water, toss it back in its pan, and pour about 3/4 of my pesto into the pasta, stirring it all together.

At this point, the chicken should be done and ready to rest. I allow my chicken to rest a few minutes while I blister my vegetables.

This should only take 3-5 mins. I like to leave them untouched for a couple on minutes, then give them a toss and let them cook the rest of the way. Once they are fished I toss them in a bowl with the rest of the pesto.

Now you are ready to slice your chicken and plate (or meal prep) your dish! This is a perfect dinner for meal prep. This recipe will make 4 meal prep servings at just under 430 calories per meal, and provides a good amount of both protein and carbs, with a touch of your daily healthy fats. There are a lot of nutrients packed into this delicious course. It's a great source of calcium, potassium, and vitamins C & A.

Always remember, eating healthy and nourishing your body, doesn't mean missing out on your favorite dishes of comfort and pleasure. It's all about adapting them and making more health conscious choices with your ingredients. This dish is a great example of meal that doesn't skip on flavor, doesn't make you miss all the flavorful goodness of a favorite comfort food, but provides more nutrients, less refined carbs, and less cholesterol than the traditional recipe.

"When diet is wrong, medicine is of no use. When diet is correct, medicine is of no need."

Abundance is coming :)

All My Love,

Jes

IG: @abundanceisbestservedwarm (click IG icon at the bottom of the page to navigate to my IG page!)

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Skinny Chicken Pesto Pasta

Servings: 4

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Calories per Serving: 428

(nutrition facts below recipe)

Ingredients:

1 lbs thin sliced chicken breast

8 oz whole wheat spaghetti

2 whole zucchinis

1 whole bell pepper (any color)

2 tsp olive oil

1 tbsp poultry seasoning (I use KIRKLAND Organic No-Salt Seasoning - 21 ingredient blend)

Pesto Ingredients:

1 cup basil

10 mint leaves

2 tbsp Parmesan cheese

2 tbsp pine nuts

2 cloves of garlic

1 tbsp olive oil

juice of half a lemon

1 tbsp water

salt to taste

pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Combine all pesto ingredients in a blender and blend to desired consistency. Approximately 30 seconds to 2 minutes.

2. Salt and boil 6 cups of water for the pasta. When the water comes to a boil, add your whole wheat spaghetti and cook to desired consistency.

3. Strain your pasta and place back in pan. Add 3/4 of the pesto into pasta and stir. Set aside.

4. Season your chicken using your poultry seasoning (or seasonings of choice), salt, and pepper.

5. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a medium to large pan on medium heat. Once oil is hot, add your chicken breast. Cook for 10 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until chicken is cooked through and 165 degrees.

6. Over medium high heat, blister your vegetables. Simply add your vegetables to a hot pan by themselves. Allow to cook untouched for a minute or two, stir them and cook an additional 2-3 minutes.

7. When the vegetables are done, toss them in the remaining pesto and set aside.

8. When your chicken is finished, remove from pan and allow to rest a few minutes.

9. Once chicken has rest, cut into strips.

10. Prepare your dish by plating your pesto pasta, vegetables and chicken. Garnish with a sprig of mint or basil and enjoy!

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